Naruto : Abandoned Child
by NXSE
Summary: AU : Naruto was abandoned at birth and everything comes to light after the Wave Mission. Naruto decides to quit as a shinobi of the leaf. Will Naruto be able to forge his own path through his father's legacy and protect it? Pairing: NarutoxSatsuki (Fem!Sasuke). His family tries to make amends for their mistakes, but will he accept them? And will Hiruzen be able to stop him in leaf?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER ALERT : CLICHE AS FUCK! READ FURTHER AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION!**

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 **Konohagakure no sato**

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 **October 10**

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 **Konoha Hospital**

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Minato Namikaze and his wife were going to have some new additions to their family. Minato was ecstatic that he was going to be a father to three children at once : two daughters and a son. Oh, how he wanted to train his son to be a shinobi so that he could make his old man proud, and Minato already knew that Kushina always wished for a daughter. The seal on Kushina had held up pretty well, and just before birth, Minato had rechecked and strengthened it again just to be sure. Suddenly, a nurse came out from the OT and told him that everything had gone perfectly well, and that the children along with their mother were perfectly safe.

Minato had heaved a deep sigh of relief at the last part.

Minato had immediately rushed in, and a wide smile had broken across his face when he had seen an exhausted Kushina laying on the bed holding three precious children in her arms. He had gingerly taken the two identical looking daughters from her arms, and had observed that the girls had retained their mother's red hair and violet eyes. Minato had handed them back to Kushina after a moment's deliberation, and he had went on to take his son into his arms; smiling ear to ear. Minato's son had inherited his strong Namikaze genes, and the boy looked just like his father. The baby boy had inherited his father's spiky blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes as well, and had three whisker marks on each of his cheeks to boot. His son was going to be a lady killer and have a fan club, Minato mused giddily.

Kushina had already told him that she was going to name her daughters Narumi and Mito, and Minato had already told her that he was going to name his son Naruto; and for once the bickering couple had mutually agreed with one another. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a masked man warped into the room through a vortex, and launched a hail of kunai at Minato. Minato instinctively jumped back, and slickly dodged the kunai while the masked man went on to take advantage of his position to speak a select few words before warping Kushina and himself through the vortex again.

"Fourth Hokage, I will be taking the jinchuriki from here, and you should act fast lest see your daughters become a little," he paused for a moment's deliberation. "Crisp." the masked fellow added with a childlike chuckle, and disappeared along with Kushina. Minato wondered for a moment if he was even sane or what he meant, but took one look in the crib of his daughters to see them wrapped in a blanket with exploding tags and his thoughts dried out pretty quickly. He picked up his children and used his Hiraishin no Jutsu to teleport out just in time as the room in the hospital exploded behind his back. Minato sat on his knees in silent contemplation. His eyes tracked a dry leaf fall down from a tree, and his arms cradled the snoring infants to his chest. Not a moment later, he disappeared into thin air before the leaf could make contact with the ground.

Minato brought his children back to his house, and put them on the bed. He took two of his three-pronged kunai with him from the table, and again used the Hiraishin marker on Kushina's seal and teleported to where she was. As he came to the clearing, he dreadfully saw that the Kyūbi had been freed and that - thanks to the gods above - Kushina had somehow managed to survive the extraction. But that was all he could thank them for as she was just about to be pierced by it's claw. He picked her up bridal style, and teleported to a nearby marker thereby escaping the attack.

The masked man laughed one again in that insane, childlike manner, "You're just as fast as your name suggests, aren't you? Just like the stories say, Yellow Flash!" he chuckled, and Minato turned to him to give him an icy gaze. That of a reaper. A veteran shinobi. An army killer. A gaze of a legend. The masked man had shivers running down his spine seeing his icy sapphire blue eyes and the confidence, experience and determination those eyes held. Minato, though, said nothing, and teleported back to the house where he laid Kushina down besides the triplets and stepped back. His eyes glazed over what he would have to do, and how he wouldn't be able to see his children grow up. If only Kushina wasn't injured or Jiraiya was in the village, they could have subdued the bijū and gone on re-seal it without any loss of life. But now, there was only one seal that would be able to subdue as well as seal the bijū - but he had to turn his own children into jinchuriki and condone the worst taboo right unto his children.

Her eyes looked at him grimly, "What are you going to do now, Minato?" whispered Kushina, already dreading his answer.

"I will have to split the demon and seal it into our children." Minato confessed thickly. "I cannot ask another parent to sacrifice their child if I cannot do it to my own. How I'll split it, I haven't decided, but I'll figure it out. Don't you worry." he said in a reassuring tone, but Kushina started crying.

"You're going to use that jutsu, aren't you?" she asked him in sobs.

Minato looked down solemnly solemnly. "There is no other way. But, at least, I can rest happy that they will have you watching over them." he admitted and she nodded. She hugged her children tightly to her chest and cried as Minato put on his cloak, created four shadow clones who teleported to a clearing outside the village, and he himself teleported to the top of the Hokage monument only to see the Kyūbi destroying the better half of his village in a crazed rampage.

Minato activated his Sharingan and flared his chakra to turn the Kyūbi attention towards him. He watched, his Sharingan flaring, as the Kyūbi started gathering chakra near his mouth and condensed it into a sphere before launching it towards him. Minato knew instinctively that should he let that attack hit, then everything and everyone near the mountain will be destroyed as well. That was not an outcome he as Hokage was willing to take place.

Not as long as he was still breathing.

Minato went through several hand seals, and put his hands forward. Kanji spread in the air as it started absorbing the bijūdama, and teleported it outside the village. The villagers cheered seeing their Hokage take control of the battle. Through the hoots and cheers, Minato felt his instincts screaming danger as he felt a presence behind him. Twisting around, he sawed his arm around and pierced a kunai at the masked man's head, but was stunned when it fazed right through his head and the enemy grabbed his wrist in an iron bind.

The masked man spoke once more, in a serious tone this time, completely different from his childish tone before. "It's over." he stated dryly. Minato smirked, exploding, and took the masked man by complete surprise. The invader cradled his burnt body, and seethed at being fooled by a mere substitution. Moreover, he had taken quite a bit of damage from that unexpectedly effective attack.

Minato teleported to a rooftop nearby the bijū, and bit his thumb. He went through a chain of hand seals and slammed his palm on the ground.

 **"Ninja Art : Summoning Jutsu - Food Cart Destroyer!** **"**

The whole ground rumbled as Gamabunta appeared on top of the Kyūbi, and slammed his butt over his head. The bijūdama he was preparing, disappearing from the abrupt distraction.

 **"Eh** **?!** **Minato why** **the hell** **did you summ... Oi** **!** **I** **s that the** **Kyūbi** **I'm sitting on** **?** **!"** Gamabunta yelled frantically just as Minato hopped on top of his head, and started gathering his own chakra.

"Bunta, just hold down the Kyūbi for a moment. I will subdue it, and seal it into my children." he said, and Gamabunta slammed his back over Kyūbi who tried to roar in defiance.

"Stand down ya stupid mutt! Minato, do you really think it wise to seal it into your own children? You know what kind of lives Jinchuriki lead, are you sure about this?" he asked, and Minato had a solemn look on his face.

"There is no other way." he sighed. "Besides, Kushina will take care of them. The only regret I have is that I wont be able to make my son into the shinobi I want him to be with my own hands, and watch my daughters grow up into the fine women I know they'll be." he admitted, and Gamabunta nodded with a sad smile. Minato finished gathering his chakra and teleported them outside the village in the clearing where his clones had already set up a barrier.

"Minato, I won't be able to hold it down for long. Summon Pa and Ma for help." yelled Gamabunta. Minato nodded, bit his thumb and started going through hand seals before slamming his palm on the ground.

 **"Ninja Art : Summoning Jutsu** **!** **"**

Two small, but very ancient looking toads puffed into existence.

 **"Minato-chan** **?!** **W** **hat is going on here** **?** **W** **hy is Gamabunta sitting on the** **Kyūbi?!** **A** **nd why is it free?** **!** **What have you called us here for?** **!** **"** asked Pa in a frenzy. Ma turned her gaze to Minato as both came to a naught, feeling dread coil in their hearts upon understanding the situation.

"Pa, Ma…I am going to split the Kyūbi and seal it into my children." Minato confirmed their worries. "Please, I need your help. Hold it down for me while I set up the ritual." he requested desperately, and Pa and Ma nodded. They rushed to the Kyūbi to hold it down using Senjutsu while Minato created a Shadow Clone who teleported and brought his children, and Kushina along, to help stabilize and check the seal after the sealing was done. Minato went through a chain of hand seals, and summoned the ritual altar from hell while the clone kept his children on the altar.

Minato went through hand seals one last time, and clapped his hands together.

 **"Forbidden Secret Art : Dead Demon Consuming Seal"**

A feeling of dread and coldness swept over the field as the Shinigami appeared behind Minato.

 **"What do you wish to seal** **,** **mortal?"** questioned the Shinigami just as Hiruzen, Kakashi and Tsunade appeared outside the barrier only to helplessly witness the sealing take place.

"Shinigami-sama, I wish to seal the Kyūbi into my children. My wish is to split it, and seal it into them." Minato wished.

The Shinigami spoke up again, **"The children won't be able to hold half of the chakra and the soul together. Their bodies will not be able to withhold the strain the seal will cause. I must split it's Yin and Yang chakra, and split them from it's consciousness and body to seal it separately. Choose, mortal, which child will hold what."** Shinigami stated monotonously. Minato mulled over it for a minute, his daughters had strong Uzumaki genes like their mother, and should be able to hold it's chakra efficiently while Naruto would most probably will inherit his Sharingan to control it's consciousness - should he ever need it's aid.

Minato had already had his decision made.

"Shinigami-sama, seal the consciousness and body in my son, and the chakra in my daughters." he confirmed. The Shinigami said nothing, opting to pierce his hand through Minato's chest and sealed the chakra after splitting them into his daughters while he sealed the consciousness and body into his son. Minato added a four symbols seal on Narumi and Mito while he added an eight trigram seal onto Naruto to balance the chakra that the Kyūbi might recover over the years, and leak it into the boy's coils slowly after purifying it - all so that his chakra coils became strong enough for holding the increasing strain of the Kyūbi over the years. Minato felt the pain of his jutsu take it's toll on his body, and fell down to his knees just as the Shinigami spoke one final time before he claimed his payment.

 **"You have fifteen minutes to do your last deeds in this realm** **for** **your honorable sacrifice. See and do what you want in these last moments before I claim your soul, and take you to the afterlife. Forever."** the Shinigami stated, and Minato nodded gratefully. The Shadow Clones around him dispersed, and the barrier fell, making everyone gather around him.

"Minato, what have you done?!" Hiruzen cried. "Tsunade, Treat him! He needs it, NOW!" he shouted seeing his successor's condition. Kushina was crying heavily on the sidelines when Minato stopped Tsunade from treating him.

The buxom blonde tried to protest, but he cut her off. "It's of no use, Tsunade." Minato admitted softly. "The Shinigami has given me fifteen minutes for my last moments to be with you. Please, it's useless. As for the sealing, the children were not strong enough to hold all of the Kyūbi's chakra. So, I split it's chakra into Yin and Yang and sealed it in my daughters for their strong Uzumaki genes, and it's consciousness and body rests in my son." he said, looking at Hiruzen for the last part. Everyone looked on in sadness at the sacrifice Minato had made for the village, all of them unable to do anything to help him. Kushina stopped crying for a moment, and hugged him, sobbing thickly in his chest.

"Kushi-chan…" Minato whispered, softly stroking her hair. "Please go, and check if the seals have stabilized or not. See if the children are alright or not. I won't be able to rest in peace if my children had to suffer because I made a mistake in sealing." he said with a wince, and she got up hurriedly with nod to the children at the altar. He smiled as he saw her kiss and check over his daughters. At least they will have the love of their mother. But Minato's eyes turned icy and calculative when he saw a flicker of emotions pass through Kushina's eyes as she gazed at Naruto with utter hatred and disdain in her eyes while she checked on his seal. Suspicions and scenarios started playing in Minato's mind on seeing this, and he decided to take countermeasures - just in case - and so, Minato turned to Hiruzen with his veteran shinobi eyes. Hiruzen instantly came near him seeing that look, and listened to him carefully.

"Sarutobi, get me three blank scrolls, and a brush and some ink." Minato whispered. Hiruzen nodded, giving orders to the ANBU through secret hand signs who brought him the required items in a second and Hiruzen handed it to Minato. Minato started writing stroke upon stroke at a fast pace, and sealed the two scrolls with the Namikaze blood seal. Much to Hiruzen's surprise, he added only Naruto's blood and chakra signature to them and sealed the last one with Hiruzen's blood just as he decided to leave the Third with his last instructions.

"Hiruzen, I have to tell you something important. And I only trust you with this," Minato whispered, pressing the scrolls on Sarutobi's chest. Hiruzen nodded wordlessly hearing the gravity of his voice. "The two scrolls with the Namikaze seals are my will and a letter to Naruto, both of which you shall give him at the time of his graduation. The entire Namikaze fortune shall be sealed until the time he graduates from the Academy and has enough experience and maturity to claim them as his, and his alone. I trust your judgment with it's timing. The scroll with your blood seal is a letter that you must only open if Kushina ever decides to harm, or abandon Naruto. Under no circumstances are you to let anything happen to him. Have him seen as the hero of the village he is. Naruto shall be named the Namikaze clan heir due to his strong Namikaze genes, while Narumi and Mito will inherit the Uzumaki fortune. I trust you to take care of Naruto if my suspicions come true. Can't I Sarutobi?" Hiruzen clasped his shaking hands and nodded tearfully.

"And reverse summon Pa and Ma at the time you reveal his heritage. He must have the toad contract I have left them, there will be some instructions with them too." Minato coughed thickly while Hiruzen looked confused and stunned.

"But Minato, Kushina would never do such a thing why are yo..." he stopped protesting just as Minato asked him in a cold voice.

 _ **"Do I have your word, Hiruzen Sarutobi?"**_ Minato asked coldly, and Hiruzen looked at him with determined eyes and nodded. Minato didn't want to believe it too, but he wasn't going to leave his the fate of his child helpless if his fears did infact come true.

"Yes, you have it. Naruto will be taken care of like a prince and will get the possessions you have left if your fears do infact come true. I give you my word. " Hiruzen promised. Minato smiled, nodding he coughed up even more blood and seeing the stains on his hands he realized he didn't have much time left.

"Hiruzen bring me my children. I want to see them, I want to hold them one last time." Minato whispered. Hiruzen went and brought him his children and Kushina along with him as he handed him the children while Minato looked at them lovingly.

"Live your lives as you want." Minato kissed their cheeks. "You are all special. Don't let anyone let you tell otherwise. You might face some difficulties in your lives, but never falter. And know that I am always watching over you, and your daddy loves you three with all his heart." Minato sniffled, handing them back to Hiruzen who took them carefully in his arms.

"Minato, you can hold them some more..." Hiruzen trailed off as he saw Minato's eyes drop close and his head drop. A smile was plastered on Minato's face and some final tears rolled down his cheeks. Kushina fainted from exhaustion and shock while everyone dropped their heads in respect at the man's sacrifice - as the strongest of all the Hokage's left this world.

"Don't worry my friend." Hiruzen whispered. "I'll honor every wish of yours, and look after Naruto as if he was my own child." he mourned. Naruto cried, and Hiruzen tried to calm him down with a rock of his arms. After a few moments, Naruto fell asleep as Hiruzen took the children to the hospital along with their mother.

* * *

 **Two hours later**

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 **Konoha Hospital**

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Hiruzen was sitting in the hospital room after having his wounds treated, and was waiting for Kushina to wake up while he was took care of her children in the mean time. He had postponed the council meeting for the time being. The council members had protested, but had shut up and left happily after he had told them that he would retake his position as Hokage. Well everyone except Danzōwas happy, but that had been pretty obvious for Hiruzen from the start. Tsunade had left the village after Minato's death saying she was going to live at the Senju property in the Fire capital along with Shizune as she couldn't live in the village after everyone she trusted had already died in this cursed village. She didn't want to see anymore deaths. She had even left him the Shodaime's necklace saying it was cursed as Minato was the last person she had given it to and he too had died. She had actually thrown it in the trash, but Hiruzen had kept his sensei's legacy for someone who was worthy enough. Suddenly, Kushina's eyes fluttered open as Hiruzen rushed to her side.

"Sarutobi, where is Minato?!" Kushina asked solemnly and Hiruzen eyed her sadly.

"Minato is gone, Kushina." Hiruzen said mournfully. "He left us a few moments after you fainted." he admitted, and silent tears streamed down Kushina's eyes. "Where are my children, Hiruzen?!" she asked. Hiruzen stood up, and went to the crib. Picking up the daughters, he handed them to her. Kushina smiled and cooed at them while Hiruzen went back to go fetch Naruto to hand him over to his mother. But Hiruzen's worst fears came true when Kushina slapped his hand away just as he tried handing Naruto over to her.

"What's the matter, Kushina?" Hiruzen asked dreadfully. "Don't you want to hold your son?!" he asked in confusion.

Kushina looked at Naruto in utter contempt. "Don't call that demon my son, Sarutobi." she spat venomously, making Hiruzen's eyes go wide. "That thing took my husband away from me. Don't you dare call him my son! He is the Kyūbi reincarnate! Those whisker marks are proof enough!" Kushina sneered at the child. Hiruzen took it all in with wide eyes, before his expression turned furiously red.

"What the hell are you talking about, Kushina?!" Hiruzen snarled right back. "He just has the consciousness and body of the Kyūbi sealed inside of him. He is not the Kyūbi! Have you gone insane! You are a seal master yourself, and were a jinchuriki merely a few hours ago! What's the matter with you?!" he asked furiously while Kushina returned his look full force.

"I told you, I don't have anything to do with that demonic child. He was dead to me as soon as Minato sealed the monster's soul in him. Two souls, one of an infant and one of a demon coexisting, you make laugh! As far as I am concerned, I only have two daughters!" she spat with a venom laced voice.

"Kushina, please see reason." Hiruzen pleaded. "You have been blinded by the loss and pain of Minato. Please! See him! He is an innocent child in need of a mother. Nothing more." he pleaded in a desperately, trying to hand Naruto over to her, but Kushina tried to slap his hands again before Hiruzen retracted his arms defensively.

"Do not bring him close to me, Sarutobi or I swear will finish what I started and kill him to avenge Minato's death!" Kushina said in a promising tone with such hatred that Sarutobi knew she meant it and clutched the peaceful child to his chest protectively.

"I don't believe you, Kushina. You have fallen so low," Hiruzen whispered solemnly. "Very well then. I shall take care of the boy as my own." he admitted in a steely voice to Kushina who merely huffed and turned back to her daughters.

"I will go reside in the Fire Capital where the Uzumaki property is situated, under the protection of the Daimyo's." Kushina's words took Hiruzen by surprise. "I'll raise my daughters over there and will come back during the time of their graduation - after I am satisfied with their training." she promised and Hiruzen nodded wordlessly.

 _"Minato you truly were a genius in every sense of the word. I_ _never_ _believe_ _d_ _Kushina could do such a thing to her own son_ _un_ _til now_ _!_ _But you saw right through her_ _,_ _even in the face of_ _d_ _eath and took precautions_ _!_ _Don't worry_ _old friend,_ _I'll protect Naruto from every danger_ _-_ _whether it be from outside the village or the inside. I'll honor your every wish and give him his inheritance after he is ready and protect him until then."_ _Hiruzen_ _thought in his mind._

"I shall take some scrolls and things from the Namikaze compounds too before I leave." Kushina broke his train of thoughts. "And know that I disown him from both the Uzumaki and Namikaze clans." she said as Hiruzen hardened his eyes and spoke in an even tone.

"I'm sorry, Kushina. But Minato has left specific instructions with me in case something like this happened after his death. He declared Naruto as his clan heir in his dying moments and sealed off the Namikaze fortune until Naruto is ready to claim it. Until that time comes, no one shall touch a speck of grass on the Namikaze Family fortune or their scrolls. He had already imagined this scenario even in the face of death and took necessary steps before he passed on. Minato has left me with specific instructions that you may do whatever you wish with the Uzumaki fortune, but the fortune of the Namikaze is sealed until the time I deem Naruto ready to claim it." Hiruzen said coldly, and Kushina's eyes widened hearing this.

Minato had sealed off everything from her?! And named it all to that _thing_?!

Preposterous!

"You can't do that to me!" Kushina protested. "I'm his wife. That fortune is mine, and our daughters! Minato would never do such a thing to me! The Namikaze fortune belongs to me and my daughters alone, not to that _thing_." she spat in utter contempt.

"That "thing" as you so call it is the last child to inherit the strong Namikaze traits, and Minato has named him his heir in his last moments. You do what you want with the Uzumaki fortune, but you will have no say in the Namikaze clan affairs from now on. I am the legal guardian to it until Naruto claims it. Now, I'll take my leave. I have a Council meeting to attend to. You can leave the village anytime you wish. The sooner the better!" Hiruzen said as left her in the room and stomped his way out.

* * *

 **Hokage Tower**

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 **Council Chambers**

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Hiruzen walked into the sacred chambers to see all the clan heads already sitting on the right side and the civilian council to the left. The elders sat directly in front of his seat. He took his seat, with a softly snoring Naruto sleeping peacefully in his arms. Two ANBU stood guard behind him. Hiruzen brushed his whisker marks just as Naruto snuggled in his chest making Hiruzen smile.

Homura cleared his throat. "Hiruzen, all of us would like to know what became of the Kyūbi?" he asked the thought on everyone's mind, and everyone looked at him expectantly.

"The Kyūbi has been defeated, and the threat has passed. Minato used a forbidden jutsu to split, and seal the Kyūbi." Hiruzen said as everyone sighed in relief but Shikaku spoke up.

"Hokage-sama," Shikaku cut him off. "You said he split, and sealed the Kyūbi. What did he seal it into?" he questioned.

Everyone looked at Hiruzen while he cursed under his breath.

Damn those Nara's and their intelligence!

 _"I can't reveal Naruto's heritage to them! He would already have enough to deal with_ _from external enemies_ _after I reveal to them the truth of his burden. If his heritage is known_ _too,_ _then we might have to deal with many assassins and kidnappers from_ _the inside._ _Iwa and Kumo might_ _even_ _wish to abduct or eliminate the last_ _, true_ _Namikaze heir. I'll keep it to m_ _yself_ _until I reveal it Naruto._ _"_ Hiruzen decided inwardly. _"_ _I'll just say_ _Minato_ _sealed it in his daughters_ _,_ _and that Naruto is an orphan with no ties to his parents. So many people died tonight_ _,_ _no one will_ _ever_ _suspect a thing._ _But I'll have him seen as the hero he is, Minato._ _"_ he thought with a smile.

"Well, Minato split the Kyūbi into three parts. He sealed the Yin and Yang part of it's chakra into his newborn twin daughters Narumi and Mito; seeing that they had their mother's strong Uzumaki genes, and had a good chance at controlling it. But he had to seal it's body and soul into a separate entity - for which he chose young Naruto. His parents died tonight during the attack, and Minato made it his last wish for Naruto to be seen as a hero, and I have full faith in his abilities in his sealing, and so should you." he spoke pointedly. But that was all he said before all hell broke loose from the Civilian part of the Council.

They shouted for the demon to be killed, and their families be avenged. Hiruzen purposefully left out the part that the Kyūbi will gain back it's chakra overtime and that Naruto will become the true jinchuriki of the nine tails after some years as per what Minato had told him about the mechanics of his seal in his last moments. He didn't want Danzō to be too interested in Naruto, and try and turn him into a weapon, as Minato had once feared.

Hiruzen wanted to keep his burden a secret, but he knew if it came out later then it might even cause a civil war as everyone would be after want Naruto's head. He suddenly let out his KI and every last one of them shut up. Naruto whimpered in his sleep making Hiruzen tone it down a bit, and rocked him left and right before Naruto fell into his deep slumber again.

"If you fools kill Naruto, then the Kyūbi will be free. And then what? It will regain his chakra in a few years, and return to finish what it started! And this time, we will not have Minato to stop it!" Hiruzen snapped, and the Civilian Council fell silent while the clan heads nodded tiredly knowing full well that he was right.

"Hiruzen, where are the jinchuriki with the chakra of the nine tails?" Danzō wondered as expected. "I suggest that you let me take over their training and upbringing. I'll help them control their emotions better, and make them absolutely loyal to the village." he suggested calmly as suddenly Mebuki Haruno screeched, and everyone in the room winced.

"Yes, where are the princesses of the Uzumaki clan?!" she shrieked. "They are the heroes of the village! I demand to know of their condition!" she asked with a screech.

"Kushina will take them to the Uzumaki property in the Fire Capital." Hiruzen admitted bitterly."So as to keep them safe there under the protection of the Daimyo. She will return after she has them trained well enough for them when the time of their genin exams is upon us." Hiruzen told her sourly.

Danzō stood up, practically outraged, "You can't allow that Hiruzen! The jinchuriki must stay close to the village, and the Hokage! They should be trained properly. We need to show our strength to the other villages in this moment of weakness. Also, I can train them to be strong and loyal to the village. Have her brought back this instant!" he demanded, and Hiruzen sighed at the power hungry old fool. To think he was once his friend…oh the irony.

"While that is true, Danzō, you yourself have clarified that we do not have the necessary forces to spare for their protection. They will be much more safe at the fire capital. Also, Kushina is best to train them as I'm sure you know the reasons. Plus, they will return during the time of their graduation. What problem do you have with that?!" Hiruzen remarked offhandedly. Seeing everyone nod and agree except Mebuki, who kept screeching about keeping the princesses in the village; Danzō seethed at being outdone and losing his chance to have strong weapons under his control, but sat down in defeat.

Hiruzen sighed inwardly in relief that Danzō had no interest in Naruto seeing he had no chakra of the Kyūbi within him. He was practically useless to the man. Oh how ironic he thought to himself. Then they all asked what would he do about Naruto, and they said to lock him up in ANBU headquarters or send him off to a far off island to be isolated or some other ridiculous ideas; mostly from the civilian council and he instantly shut them up by leaking a bit of KI again. Thankfully, Naruto was too deep in sleep to notice it this time.

"Naruto will live a normal life and become a loyal shinobi of this village." Hiruzen declared with steel in his voice. "I hereby declare that no one shall speak of the link between Naruto and the Kyūbi to anyone of the younger generation. **This is an S-class secret** **-** **punishable by death** **-** **without trial**." Hiruzen roared. Everyone fell silent seeing his furious expression.

Hiruzen had too at least make sure that Naruto made some friends his age. Everyone hesitantly agreed, and talked about the damages incurred to the village, it's forces and other political matters right until they called it a night three hours later.

Hiruzen went back to the Hokage Tower to spend the night with young Naruto, and an aching back. He finally got in bed, and blissfully slept with little Naruto snuggling into his chest while he kept the boy tightly wrapped up in his arms. He was to be his grandson in everything but blood, Hiruzen thought to himself, and finally drifted off to sleep with a content smile.

Naruto's soft snores sounded like purrs in Hiruzen's ears all through the night.

* * *

 **~TBC~**


	2. Chapter 2

**Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

 **Hokage Tower**

* * *

 **Next Morning**

* * *

Hiruzen was suffering a severe headache at the moment from doing all this paperwork throughout the night without even a wink of sleep. Last night, after the information of Naruto's secret was revealed to the village, he had been disturbed all night long by civilian after civilian telling him to either banish the demon, or kill him; until Hiruzen had reminded them of the law in effect. Every single one of them had paled, and run off when Sarutobi had plucked out a gleaming kunai and threatened to implement his law then and there. Today, Hiruzen was patiently awaiting the arrival of his student, Jiraiya, alongside Kakashi Hatake, who Hiruzen had called through his toad summons to tell him of Naruto's condition, and to see if any one of them would like to keep Naruto's custody.

Speaking of Naruto, Hiruzen had just had Anko take care of him and feed him. He was glad to see that the hyper active kunoichi looking so good with children. Plus, she was the only one he could ever trust with Naruto's care anyways. She knew the burden of carrying a curse, and respected the Fourth Hokage above all else. As of now, Naruto was sleeping peacefully. The sight made Hiruzen smile, and he'd told Anko that she could leave and go rest for a few hours until he called for aid again. Instead of being glum, she seemed chum at the chance of spending some more time coddling baby Naruto. Seeing Naruto snoring away in those buxom mounds of heaven, Hiruzen had been envious of the boy for reasons he'd rather not admit.

After she'd left, Hiruzen had opened up the letter that Minato had left in his care to read if certain conditions were met. And sadly, all of those conditions had been met just as Minato had once feared.

* * *

 **Dear** **Hiruzen** **,**

 **If you are reading this letter** **,** **then I'm afraid my fears have come true. As I've already told you** **,** **of the two scrolls** **that** **I left for Naruto** **-** **this letter is meant for you, Naruto, and the eyes of elders of the toad clan only. I have left you as the legal Guardian of the Namikaze cla** **n** **until Naruto inherits it. I know** **,** **if the conditions to read this letter have been met,** **then** **sadly,** **Naruto will lead a** **very** **lonely life. I** **fear** **that** **no** **one will want to be tied down to taking care of Naruto** **,** **much less adopt him.**

 **That is why** **,** **I want you to admit Naruto to the best orphanage that you can find, and pay for them from the Namikaze Family Account if need** **be** **. Tell Pa and Ma to make him the next toad summoner after you tell him of his heritage. He will need their strength to protect himself in the future** **, for I fear the perpetrator of tonight's incident will return for his life.** **And I have left the key to the seal on Naruto with the toads** **,** **making it** **essential** **for him to** **sign** **the toad contract.**

 **Do not tell Jiraiya or anyone of the key** **,** **and make sure you tell** **Naruto** **about it** **once he is old enough to understand his burdens, and be there** **to** **explain how** **it works.** **Help him control the fox's chakra** **,** **since** **I fear** **Kushina won't be there to train him, and he will need all the power he could conjure up to protect himself from the masked Uchiha who had invaded the village tonight. The toads too will help him to control his demon since they have a sacred place to help control Nature, and Demonic chakra. I do not want Jiraiya to adopt him just because he wants him to control the fox's chakra to bring peace to the world and connect him to the prophecy, have him raised as a child and not a tool, Sarutobi.**

 **I know he will** **wish to** **do so with Narumi and Mito as well** **,** **and I don't want Naruto to be burdened with such things at such young an age, and live a childhood that I could not.** **Try to keep my daughters away from the prophecy too, if you could.** **I want my child** **ren** **to have a normal childhood** **,** **and to have** **their** **innocence** **kept intact** **for as long as** **you** **possibly could. Protect him,** **if nothing else,** **Hiruzen -** **as a last favor to this dying father and friend. I leave my legacy in your hands** **, old friend** **.**

 **-** **Minato Namikaze**

 _ **M.N.**_

* * *

Hiruzen put down the letter, and took off his glasses. He clenched his clouded eyes shut, and held back his tears. He sealed the draft back into the scroll until the time came for Naruto to open it once more. For now though, Sarutobi walked over to Naruto's crib and smiled as he brushed his fingers on the baby boy's whiskers. Naruto purred in delight making Hiruzen chuckle softly.

It seemed as if they were quite sensitive.

Suddenly, the window slid open, and Kakashi and Jiraiya walked in.

"I was waiting for you two," Hiruzen said, unimpressed. "Come on in," he motioned them in. Both hopped in, and stood in front of the table. Hiruzen lit his pipe, and gazed out the window.

"So you retook the seat, eh, Sarutobi-sensei?! The kid left his hat way too early…" Jiraiya whispered mournfully.

Hiruzen nodded in agreement, "That he did," he agreed, still looking out the window.

Sighing, "Jiraiya," Hiruzen started. "Minato has left a great burden upon my shoulders, a burden which Kushina does not wish to see reason to." he admitted, and Jiraiya looked at him confused. Hiruzen said nothing to elaborate, and pointed towards the crib where the soft snores of a baby resonated from. Both Kakashi and Jiraiya walked over to the crib, and couldn't help but gasp in shock.

"Sensei," Jiraiya gulped. "I-Is this his son?" Jiraiya stuttered.

Hiruzen nodded in affirmative, "Why is he here then?" Jiraiya thundered. "I thought Kushina gave birth to two daughters, not a son as well! She told me as such when I sent her a summon last night. But she told me that she was leaving today at dawn for the fire capital. If he is, in fact, her son…then why is he here?" Jiraiya naturally had to ask. Hiruzen smiled sadly, and continued on gazing out the window.

"She blames him for the death of Minato, Jiraiya." Hiruzen didn't mince his words. "She looks at like him as if he is the Kyūbi reborn. Kushina is looking for someone to blame and vent, and has sadly chosen little Naruto as her culprit. Last night, she disowned him, and even threatened to kill him. Now, Jiraiya, I wish to ask of you - will you adopt, Naruto?" Hiruzen dropped the bomb. "I know that you have a spy network to manage, but we can set up a time-table for it. I can have someone I trust help you with little Naruto. So what do you say, Jiraiya? Will you accept him?" Hiruzen asked hopefully. He honestly thought without a doubt that Jiraiya would accept the boy willingly to honor his apprentice's last wishes.

"I'm sorry, sensei." Jiraiya's apology formed a pit of ice in Hiruzen's stomach. "The village needs my spy network more than ever now, and I am not exactly father material, you know. I like to travel, do research, and write my books. Plus, the Great Toad Sage has given a new prophecy, Pa and Ma told me that just last night. It says _'_ _The powerful_ _sapling_ _born from two strong leaves shall lead the_ _world_ _to peace_ _,_ _and it's enemies shall fear the look of his red eyes as he gazes upon them to protect what is precious to him._ _'_ and I know for a fact that it has to be either Narumi, or Mito. They fit the description perfectly! And they will even have red eyes once they channel the fox's chakra, just like Kushina did! I'll have to put all my time into nurturing them...so being with Naruto will be, difficult, you know." Jiraiya apologized sincerely.

"I hope you understand, sensei. The future of the world takes priority over the life of a single child - you of all people must understand." Jiraiya tried to make him see reason. Hiruzen didn't even bother turning around to face him as his heart broke in two at hearing his student's admissions.

 _"Minato_ _,_ _you really_ _did_ _s_ _ee_ _through all_ _of their hearts_ _beforehand,_ _d_ _idn't you_ _?! Even_ _I didn't know my own student's nature_ _,_ _and_ _yet,_ _you still saw right through_ _him_ _."_ Hiruzen thought sadly.

"I see" was all Hiruzen could say at the moment. Jiraiya was happy that his sensei was understanding his reasons, after all, the world did prioritize over Naruto, even though he did not like doing it.

"What will you do then, Kakashi? " Hiruzen switched his words to the jōnin monotonously.

"Lord Third," Kakashi bowed his head. "I want to return to the duties of the ANBU. I have to get over my grief of losing yet another person precious to me. Naruto looks too much like sensei, and I won't have the time to look after him with my missions. But I promise, I'll watch him over him from the shadows, and even become his jonin sensei when he grows older." he promised.

"That's quite a ways away for now, Kakashi." Hiruzen remarked pointedly.

Kakashi nodded, knowing full well what the man was trying to imply, "That it is, sir."

To be honest, after everything he'd heard, Hiruzen wasn't even surprised anymore.

"I understand," Hiruzen waved his hand dismissively. "Both of you are dismissed." he dismissed them. And just as both left the office, Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed.

"I think you've heard everything?" Hiruzen questioned seemingly no one in particular. Two small toads came out of the shadows of the wall, tapping their canes to show their displeasure over the matter..

"Yes, yes we did." Pa clipped, annoyed. "I'll admit, I never expected Jiraiya-boy to leave Naruto-chan just for our prophecy, and his disgusting habits. He has fallen in respect of the toad's great elders. We came up to check on young Naruto-chan, but I never imagined that Kushina-chan would forsake her own child, even if it is grief that has clouded her eyes." Ma admitted somberly.

"Neither did I," Hiruzen sighed.

"The Leaf village too has disrespected Minato-chan's wish for Naruto-chan to be seen as a hero." Pa said with steel in his voice. "The Leaf has fallen from the grace and honor it once used to hold, back in the days when Hashirama-chan and Tobirama-chan used to guide it's reigns." Ma spat. Hiruzen smiled, thinking of those times, and knowing that they were right. This really wasn't the same village anymore, it's founders would have been ashamed of what their vision became in wake of their deaths.

"What do you wish to do now? " Hiruzen asked the two toads.

They looked at each other, and nodded, "We shall remove Jiraiya-chan from the toad summoning contract - effective immediately." Pa tapped his cane decisively. "He has fallen from the ways of our clan. We _will_ make Naruto-chan our new summoner, and we shall pledge our loyalty to him and _only him - not to the Leaf_. Bunta also said that he was excited to fight alongside the child, once he was older that is, and wanted to become his familiar. He wishes to introduce him to his sons too, Gamakichi, and Gamatatsu. We shall be loyal to the Leaf so long as Naruto-chan intends to protect it, and no more." he declared his loyalties to the stunned Hokage.

"But the Toads have been allies of the Leaf for-" Hiruzen tried to protest.

Ma interjected, "The Great Toad Sage believes him to be the child of prophecy, and we do too." she added, "Minato-chan entrusted us the key to his heir's seal, and asked us to give it to Naruto-chan whenever you deemed him ready. There are many things that Minato-chan left at Mt. Myoboku for him to inherit. We shall give it to the boy after he becomes aware of his heritage." she said in an iron voice.

Pa and Hiruzen nodded in agreement to her words, but Hiruzen couldn't help but worry a little. The Leaf had taken yet another loss sever loss in power by almost losing the only powerful battle summoning contract left in the village - if not for Naruto. The snake contract was with Orochimaru, with Anko only having a partial contract to them. And the slugs were loyal to the Senju and the Uzumaki only; and Hiruzen could only wonder how long the ears of Shikkotsu Forest would remain oblivious to this truth. Kushina and Tsunade were the only summoners left, and they too were not active Shinobi of the village. Hiruzen wondered if taking the seat had indeed been the right thing to do with all the power vacuums left in wake of Minato's death.

Hiruzen looked at little Naruto with a smile, knowing full well the boy would be a thorn in his backside, and cause him a hell of a lot of paperwork when he grew up. He was already really important to the village as the last of the Namikaze, and the only summoner to the legendary toad clan now as Jiraiya had been expelled from the contract. He thought about his student's reaction when he realized that his contract, on which he was so heavily reliant, was nullified. He watched silently as Pa and Ma walked up to Naruto's crib, and Pa picked him up. Naruto woke up from his sleep with a cute yawn, and gazed at the weird toad with wide, droopy eyes as he tilted his head to the side. Pa held him in front of his face, both intently gazing into each other's eyes.

"Well, Naruto-chan," he settled him a bit more snugly in his arms, "Would you like to be the next toad summoner?" Pa asked him with a smile. Naruto laughed with a clap, thinking it was funny and hugged him.

All of them chuckled in unison.

"I think that's a yes, isn't it, Sarutobi?" said Ma and Pa nodded.

"What say you, Sarutobi?" Pa wondered.

Hiruzen smiled, "I think yes as well."

Ma walked up to Naruto just as Pa finished slicing Naruto's little thumb a little, forcing it to bleed, and started writing his name 'Naruto Namikaze' on the summoning scroll. He slapped a hand print over his scroll, and roughly smeared the print on the paper to make sure it was done right. Naruto sniffed a little from getting his thumb cut, and, as if on queue, Ma bashed Pa on his head while he yelled an 'Oi!' indignantly.

"You idiot!" she thundered. "You cut too deep. Look, you made him cry!" she roared when Naruto sniffed again, and Ma plucked him up from the ground, and rocked and cooed him.

"Aw, Naruto-chan is a brave boy. Isn't he, isn't he?!" she cooed and the boy giggled, momentarily forgetting his pain while his thumb healed almost instantly. Hiruzen was wide eyed at the speed with which it healed, as was Pa. It seemed that the Kyūbi gave him a healing factor. Pa had come to the same conclusion as Hiruzen had, and was equally shocked as well. He wished to ask what will become of little Naruto and who will look after him from here on out, however.

"What are you going to do about young Naruto's nurturing, Sarutobi?" Pa wondered. "Where will he live?"

Hiruzen sighed, and plopped down on his chair, feeling well beyond his years. "I want to keep him with me, yes. But I have way too many duties now." seeing their disapproving look. "And even if I did want to keep him, the council would raise hell over it. They decided last night that none of the clans could adopt him in fear of them releasing the Kyūbi to gain power, and none of the civilians will adopt him for obvious reasons. So, that leaves only the orphanage." Hiruzen added to save himself some face.

"What of his accommodations?" Ma asked.

"I will try and find him the best orphanage there is, and even pay them some extra money to keep him safe and well treated. I'll have Kakashi and my other ANBU check up on him from time to time. I made a law for people not to tell the younger generation of his burden, so that he may be able to make friends. I'll visit him as often as I could, but it will be difficult to take out any more time. After he is six, I'll have him entered into the Academy, after which he'll graduate at the recommended age of twelve. That is what I have planned for now. His father made sure he would have the money to live well, and I'll give it to him monthly as a stipend until he claims his fortune in order to keep his identity under tight wraps." Hiruzen explained, and Pa and Ma nodded, satisfied.

"We too will check up on him regularly." they told Sarutobi. "But we shall not reveal ourselves to him until the time is opportune. I wish you luck, Sarutobi, and we trust that you'll take care of our summoner?" they asked him, and Hiruzen smiled.

"I'll do what I can." Hiruzen promised. Pa nodded, and tapped his cane as both he and Ma left in a puff of smoke. Hiruzen began checking through the files and various records of the orphanages in the village to try and find one with the best comforts for him to offer, but that issue was only secondary for now. Hiruzen needed to find a place where Naruto would be accepted, fully. He began going through file after file, rummaging through them, and eventually finding none that would fit his requirements completely.

Sarutobi groaned.

This was going to be a long day...

* * *

 **(Timeskip 5 years)**

* * *

Naruto sat in his room in the orphanage, gazing out the window with a fond smile. His private room had all the basic amenities a child his age could ask for : a comfortable bed, a desk, some bookshelves with picture books, and a closet full of clothes. He even lived a normal life just like any other orphan did, at least one who could pay for these luxuries should live like that is.

Hiruzen had threatened the orphanage owners to shut it down if they tried anything fishy, and have them arrested on grounds of treason to their Kage if it was proved in any which way that they were involved in hampering the child's growth in any manner - direct or indirect. Needless to say, the workers at the orphanage had treated him pretty fairly, but even then they kept their distance from him, and even kept all the children there away from him in fear of retribution from the orphanage's owners.

Naruto didn't know why, but they said that he was bad. Even though he couldn't remember what he had done so bad to hurt them. He had every single one of the basic amenities needed for a child his age, but he was still very lonely. They never even let him play outside in the park, always saying that it was dangerous for him to go out and that he should stay inside for his own good. Naruto wondered why it wasn't dangerous for the others to go outside, but nevertheless complied with his wardens wishes. He kept reading picture books after picture books, and ever since they started to teach his peers how to read and write properly, Naruto had the option of reading simple story books to pass his time. He still craved for friends, and something new to do outside the village would be pretty nice though.

Tomorrow was the Tenth of October - the day his idol, the Fourth Hokage, defeated the Kyūbi and killed it while sacrificing himself. Naruto had heard that story practically a thousand times, but he just couldn't get enough of it. The Fourth was so cool. The orphanage workers had once told them of the tale when the man had fought tooth and nail in the final battles of the third great shinobi war.

The man had stood tall and proud in front of a thousand shinobi - all alone - after his comrades were killed, and he had to defend the Kannabi bridge, or the Leaf would have lost the war after losing that front. At that moment, it was said, that the Fourth used his legendary Hiraishin no Jutsu and disappeared and reappeared all around the battlefield through the kunai's he had spread around beforehand, and had defeated one less than a thousand of his enemies all alone.

It was said that he had left one enemy alive on purpose, just so that he could go back and tell the enemies of their loss and how the Leaf could have won the war almost single-handedly at any given point. That battle had given him the name "Yellow Flash", and the man was given a SS class rating in Bingo Books. Naruto didn't know what that funky sounding book was, but it must have been just as cool, if not more. He was the Fourth Shinobi ever to reach a SS-ranking, after only Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha - the people who found his village. The Fourth was the only person ever to get a flee on sight order from his enemies in the history of the elemental nations. That meant that you won't make it back alive if he even caught a glimpse of you.

How cool was that!

His version of the Hiraishin no Jutsu was considered one of the deadliest jutsus in the world to this day. As Naruto had heard the tale, he had forged stars in his eyes and had made him his idol : his goal. He wanted to surpass the Fourth Hokage one day, and make everyone idolize him like that too. Tomorrow, the village was going to celebrate the defeat of the Kyūbi, the strongest of the demons, at the hands of his idol and he wanted to go see it. He was going to ask the people at the orphanage if he could go out tomorrow. Each year, he asked the kind old man who gave him various kinds of gifts to take him there, since every warden seemed to hear what he said with one ear and flick it out the next. But each time the old man told Naruto not to go to the festival, it was dangerous for him. Grr!~

When he had asked why it was dangerous for only _him_ , the old man had told him that he would tell him later - when he ready. Naruto had begrudgingly agreed with the man, seeing as he was the one person who cared the most for him anyways. Why, Naruto didn't know, but the man did, and he was glad for it.

It was common sense not to look a gift horse in the mouth, after all.

* * *

Hiruzen was presently sitting in his office, clearing stacks upon stacks of paperwork due for the festival tomorrow, and he needed all his active shinobi inside the village - not on missions - to secure it from outside threats. Then, his thoughts turned to his favorite ball of sunshine.

Naruto had grown up to be such a nice boy. The innocence in those bright baby blue eyes was intoxicating. The way they sparkled with mischief, and his goofy foxy grin was so much like Minato that it wasn't even funny. One of his wardens had even commented as such, causing Sarutobi to nearly have a seizure, before scoffing the very idea off, much to the shaking Hokage's relief. He was smart like his father too, since, apparently, he had obtained his intelligence as well as his looks from his father. Hiruzen had kept his promise to Minato, and had tried to give him the best of what life had to possibly offer for an orphan child. He gave him all the material things that the boy could ask for, but knew Naruto yearned for one thing in particular, and didn't care about those physical things like other kids around him did.

Friends.

Hiruzen had tried to talk to him about it, but he always said he was fine. His trained eyes always caught that pang of loneliness flash through Naruto's eyes which made his heart ache in anguish, the boy was as transparent as a glass pane for his eyes gave him away nearly every time Naruto tried to hide something. He hadn't seen the horrors like Minato had to come to conceal his emotions, but money and power could only buy a child so much - except friends.

Hiruzen couldn't force people to like Naruto, but he was saddened that they disrespected their hero's last wishes. Hiruzen had yet to hear a word from Kushina, but he had gotten several letters from the Daimyo saying they were living well and were very happy. His student, Jiraiya, had apparently also been in constant contact with Kushina and his daughters, and was now like a grandfather to them - Hiruzen had nearly rolled his eyes at that. Ever since he was evicted from the toad summoning contract, Jiraiya had toned down on his spying, and come to see how much he had relied on the toads for infiltration, and was now concentrating on training the twins to nurture the 'child of prophecy'.

That wasn't the only disappointment life had to offer for Sarutobi, however.

Tsunade too had gone to the fire capital to the Senju property, and was currently gambling, and drowning the Senju fortune in sake and debts. Apparently, Jiraiya had returned to the Konoha hospital, black and blue, two-three times after the beatings Tsunade and Kushina gave him for his corrupt ways. Evidently, the twins too had come to inherit Kushina's special, dense chakra, further solidifying Jiraiya's beliefs in them being the children of prophecy. Hiruzen sighed, each one of his students had failed him in one way or another, but Hiruzen was resolved not to repeat that same mistakes with Naruto.

He would show the boy the true path of a shinobi, just like Minato had entrusted him to. He would pass on his will of fire to the boy. Tomorrow was his birthday, Hiruzen mused with a smile, and he had already bought Naruto's gifts', knowing full well that he would be ecstatic seeing them. But then, there was the matter of the Kumo delegation coming tomorrow, and he knew he wouldn't be free until much later in the night.

Hiruzen looked at his forearm to see a tracking and alerting seal branded on his flesh. He had placed one on Naruto, and it would stay with him until the boy could handle himself. He had placed it on him when he was three, and it would burn on his forearm if the boy was in a life threatening danger.

At that moment, Hiruzen didn't know how little time he had to test his seal.

* * *

 **Next Day**

* * *

Naruto woke up bright and early, since, tonight, he was going to go to the festival and celebrate with the others. He would finally see the festival in honor of his hero. He had even been saving some money for this day, and would make sure to enjoy himself to the fullest, and maybe even make some friends out there if he was lucky. He walked out to the mess, and had breakfast, and then a light lunch as the evening came by.

Naruto walked up to the orphanage workers, and decided to ask them if he could go out.

Maybe they'd say yes, if he was lucky?

Who knew...?

They looked at him questionably though when he began speaking up, "Can I go to the festival tonight, please?" Naruto asked. Shyly shuffling on his feet, Naruto tried to contain his anxiety as best as possibly. Just as an orphanage worker was about to refuse, another kept a firm hand over his shoulder and gave him a sly smile.

The first one returned the smile, "Of course you can, kid," they grinned in unison. "Go on and enjoy yourself. Maybe you can try and make some friends out there too while you're at it." they offered kindly.

"Really?!" Naruto chirped.

"Of course," they nudged him out the door to further bait the blonde, who looked at them happily with a grin and proceeded to run out of the orphanage with a hop to his feet.

The lot of them cackled excitedly, "Tonight the village will definitely be rid of the demon."

* * *

Naruto was running out the streets in joy. He came up to several stalls, played games, and ate several delicious things. The merchants were from different villages, so they didn't throw him out, or even talk to him rudely for that matter. Many of the villagers were glaring coldly at him, but the boy was too happy to notice. He was walking through the crowd when he was suddenly pushed into an alley, and Naruto looked up to see three men with strange white eyes looking at him - probably blind - while Naruto got up and dusted himself off.

"Can I help you, mister?" he asked him politely, though the man grew furious.

"Yes. You can die for me, demon." he yelled. They ran towards the blonde with a kunai, and Naruto took off in fright. They chased him as he weaved, ducked and ran through alleys, and then saw a fence in front of him. He jumped on a wooden box, then on a big closed dumpster, and then over the fence. Naruto turned to see the men and how far they were, but watched in horror when they threw a slew of ten kunai knives at him, and Naruto felt fear clutch his chest.

How was he supposed to dodge them mid-air?

Naruto's heart rate accelerated, blood pressure increased, and he unconsciously channeled a huge pulse chakra to the veins behind his eyes. As soon as his eyes were flooded with enough chakra, the world around him grew sharper. He could even make out the wings of insects flying in the air, and saw that the kunai knives that were too fast for him to decipher, now appeared to be moving towards him in slow motion. Confused, Naruto grabbed onto one of them in mid-air, and started deflecting the rest of them. He managed to deflect seven of them, but wasn't able to finish the last two even though he could argue that they were a lot slower than he was; one of which lodged itself in his right shoulder, the other in his left thigh.

Naruto howled in pain, and fell down.

He crawled back into the corner of the dead-end to the alley and brought his knees to his chest defensively. He curled up into a ball, knowing he couldn't escape now. Naruto whimpered, and waited for the pain to come just as they started kicking his small body, and his cries for help were drowned in the loud music adorning the festival behind this hell.

"Did you see his eyes?" one of them exclaimed as he launched another kick.

"Yes, seems as if he has the Sharingan. Is he an Uchiha?!" the other one asked.

"No one has activated the Sharingan at so young an age. The demon must have stolen them from a corpse. Serves him right that we are here to witness it's true colors," the third one devised, and they started kicking him even more viciously. Naruto could do nothing but take it all. It hurt so much, but why were they hitting him? He wasn't a demon, was he?

His mind closed in on itself as he numbed out from the pain, and fell unconscious. But they continued beating him, not bothered by his poor state in the slightest. They wanted to kill him slowly, and woefully become the silent heroes of the village that avenged their savior on the night of his noble sacrifice.

The village would surely hail them come dawn, for sure.

* * *

 **A few minutes prior**

* * *

 **The Hokage Tower**

* * *

 **Council Chambers**

* * *

Hiruzen was sitting in his office, talking with the Kumo delegation who were making illegible demands for the treaty. It looked as if they weren't even interested in the treaty, but were here for something else entirely. What it was, he couldn't figure out, but damn did he want to get out of her right now knowing that Naruto would be eagerly waiting for him in the orphanage.

These idiots were wasting precious time on his grandson's birthday, damn it!

Then, he suddenly felt a burning sensation light up on his forearm, and his eyes widened in abject horror seeing the tracking and danger seal of Naruto glow a bright, and dreadful red. Hiruzen stood up abruptly, throwing back his chair in the process, and the room fell silent when Hiruzen disappeared in a torrent of flames with only one thought coursing through his mind.

 _Naruto, hold on_ _,_ _I'm coming…_

* * *

 **Back in the alleyway**

* * *

Naruto was currently drifting in and out of consciousness. The pain wouldn't let him fall unconscious even though he was starting to feel completely numb. His heart, right now, was just accepting death, even with a happy beat on thinking that he might get to see his parents now. There was a serene, innocent smile on his blood stained face. Suddenly, a massive killing intent flooded the alleyway, and the three felons stopped their ministrations and turned around in fright. They made the mistake of gazing into the furious eyes of the "Professor", and two of them fell to their knees from fright while the third one managed to squeak through gasps.

"W-Welcome, Hokage-sama." he stuttered in greeting. "My Lord, we were just about to finish what the Fourth started. You are just in the nick of time." he offered, and felt a sudden pain rock his arms and legs. His mind went blank in horror seeing two kunai embedded in each of his limbs to the hilt, bracing him tightly against the wall as if he were being crucified.

"Bird,Weasel," Hiruzen barked to the ANBU behind him. "Take them back to Ibiki and Anko for interrogation, and tell those two to execute these bastards as soon as they are finished telling the details, I don't even care if they are Hyuga's or Uchiha's. Then, call Hiashi to my office, first thing tomorrow morning, or tell him there won't be a main branch of the Hyuga at sunset anymore. Those are orders from their Hokage, am I making myself clear?!" he roared, and the ANBU knelled behind him dutifully.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" both yelled in unison, and disappeared with the prisoners. Hiruzen knelled beside the curled up blonde, who was covered head to toe in blood, slickly pulled out knives from his little body, and gasped at seeing his active Sharingan visible through his half-lidded eyes.

Naruto had activated it, at only five?!

Preposterous!

Not even Madara, or Itachi had done it at that young an age!

Hiruzen was horrified though, when he saw Naruto smiling a serene smile.

Why the fuck was he smiling?!

"Naruto-kun, please," Hiruzen gently murmured. "You must wake up. Do not fall asleep, child." he said, shaking him up as Naruto's eyes opened a bit.

Still smiling, he spoke, "Jiji? Is that you ***** **cough** ***** **…** ***** **cough** *****..." he coughed. Hiruzen's eyes clouded in a haze, but he held back his tears.

"Yes, it's me, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen croaked. "Hold on, little one." he said, hoisting Naruto in his arms as Hiruzen took to the roofs, and started zigzagging through them to the hospital.

"Jiji, am I going to meet daddy tou-chan now...?" Naruto whispered dizzily. The dam that Hiruzen was holding back broke free, and he increased his pace manifolds. The child's body wasn't even in the condition to handle a Shunshin no Jutsu! The boy was smiling, because he was sure that was going to die - that he was about to meet his father! Naruto had constantly nagged him about his parent's identities, but he had always dodged it saying his father was a hero of the village, and that one day, when he was old enough, Hiruzen would tell him about it. His innocent mind wasn't even registering the pain, Naruto was instead happy to have a chance to meet his father.

"No, Naruto-kun," Hiruzen sniffled. "Not yet, you still have a lot of things to do before you meet him, child." he whispered through tears, as his feet reached the hospital. Hiruzen rushed in through the doors, and stood in the middle of the waiting area.

"MEDICS!" Hiruzen yelled as a team of doctors surrounded him, and took the bloodied boy from his arms, rushing to his treatment.

The doctors only saw him as the patient, as were their rules, thankfully.

No emotions with the patients, they were taught.

Hiruzen had to wait outside the Emergency Room while they treated him for almost three hours before one of them came out.

Hiruzen stood up and rushed near him in a frenzy. "How is he, doctor?!"

"He is safe now." The doctor tried to ease his worries. "We have treated, and stitched all his injuries as well as plastered his fractures. He is healing at an unnatural rate though, and will probably wake up by tomorrow afternoon." was all he said before going off, and Hiruzen sighed in relief. He fell back in his chair. To think his grandson wrapped in bandages _on his birthday -_ silent tears rolled down Hiruzen's eyes. Suddenly, his eyes hardened and his throat constricted.

"Inu, Weasel!" Hiruzen barked, with the two ANBU appeared behind him, kneeling.

"Go to Naruto's orphanage staff. Arrest everyone there, and take them to Ibiki for questioning. After interrogation is done, those found even with the slightest hand in this incident will be executed. No questions asked. Is that clear?!" he asked them, and both nodded.

"Hai, Hokage-sama!" both yelled in unison, and disappeared in smokeless Shunshins.

" _I'm so sorry, Minato_ _._ _I have failed you this time. You must be ashamed at seeing the village treat your son like this. But this was the last time I slipped up_ _,_ _I promise._ _"_ Hiruzen wondered in agony. _"_ _He has activated his Sharingan_ _,_ _and it will raise a lot of questions. Most people will not have trouble joining two and two. I must seal his kekkei genkai for the time being_ _,_ _or else people might reveal_ _his_ _identity,_ _and_ _see_ _him_ _as even more of a threat than he already is. I'm sorry_ _,_ _forgive me for this_ _Naruto,_ _but one day I'll reveal everything to you_ _-_ _I promise_ _-_ _and I'll protect you from now on_ _._ _N_ _o_ _matter what_ _!"_ Hiruzen couldn't have been more wrong in making his promise.

As elders used to say, don't make promises you can't keep.

* * *

 **~TBC~**


	3. Chapter 3

**Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

 **Next Morning**

* * *

 **Konoha Hospital**

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes groggily, and found himself covered head to toe in bandages. The events of last night rushed back to his mind, and the boy couldn't help but wince from his memories. He had known for sure that he was going to die. But alas, he remembered his grandfather figure coming to his rescue, and taking him to the hospital in his arms right after saving him. He smiled stupidly as he thought of the man who was essentially his grandfather - he really was a kind, old man. Suddenly, the door to his room opened, and a nurse walked in with a clipboard and looked at him, obviously surprised to see him awake.

"Ah! You're awake already?!" she squealed happily. "How do you feel?!" she asked him. Naruto tried to move his arms around to flex out his muscles, and smiled at her. The nurse, seeing him move so freely after such injuries, was surprised at the unreal rate he was healing with. Hiruzen had only chosen his personally selected staff of medics for Naruto's care. He had only selected those few who didn't resent the kid, and those who did had been threatened to be trialed on grounds of treason should they attempt to do anything wrong with the child - the latter order had quickly shut off any weird ideas from blooming in their minds.

"Can you undo the bandages?" Naruto requested softly, "It's starting to irritate my skin…" he mumbled, embarrassed. The nurse giggled at his awkwardness, and nodded before unwrapping his bandages only to blink on seeing him healed up completely on the inside. Naruto, oblivious to her staring, thanked her and she smiled at him before ruffling his hair.

They were so soft!

"I'll go and tell Hokage-sama that you are awake." the nurse told him, "He told us to inform him as soon as you wake up, he really cares for you little one! Now, I'll go and bring you some breakfast too - I'm sure you're starving." she said knowingly. Naruto had the decency to smile sheepishly at her actute assumption and she laughed as she walked out.

* * *

 **At the Hokage Office**

* * *

Hiruzen sat in his office, furious beyond belief at the handiwork of those orphanage workers. Ibiki had just handed over his detailed report, and the man had managed to crack out nearly everything out of every possibly suspect overnight while Hiruzen had already had them executed, and their bodies burnt for treason to their village before even the crack of dawn.

Hiruzen was presently waiting for Hiashi to speak with him on the matter. Last night, apparently, the Hyuga heiress had been attempted to be abducted from her house. Hiashi had killed the abductor in defense of his daughter, even more so to save the unsealed Byakugan from falling into enemy hands. He was waiting for the man to speak to him about last night's attack on Naruto, _and if he had anything to do with it_. They had already discussed the events of the attempted kidnapping last night due to the emergency meeting called by Hiashi Hyuga himself. Hiruzen was broken out of his thoughts as Hiashi walked in.

Hiruzen motioned him to a chair, "Have a seat, Hiashi." he offered kindly.

Hiashi nodded, "You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" he asked curtly.

Hiruzen nodded, "Indeed I did. Last night, there was an attack on young Naruto's life from three members of your clan. I arrived just in time to save his life, but he was badly injured." Hiruzen flatly stated, and Hiashi was shocked to the core that they would do such a foolish thing and disgrace the Hyuga name - all for what - a demon brat?!

"I apologize for the actions of my clansmen," Hiashi bowed his head politely. "I was completely unaware of it. Do not worry though, they will be properly punished. I'll see to it, personally," he promised.

"There's no need for that," Hiruzen interjected. "They have already been executed for treason against the village, and their bodies have been burnt. Anyone who does anything like this to another fellow citizen of the Leaf will be met with the same fate, I've decided to make an example out of them." he said calmly.

Hiashi stood up in outrage, "What?! You can't do that!" he protested.

Hiruzen's eyebrows shot up to his hair, "Excuse me?"

Hiashi rambled on, "You executed three of my clansmen, j-just for that thing?! How could you do that?" what he couldn't say was that Hiruzen had made an example out of them.

The Hokage narrowed his eyes, "You will not take that tone with me, understand?" Hiruzen reprimanded sharply. Before Hiashi could even begin to apologize, "You should realize who you are speaking to, Hyuga. Do not question my authority, ever. You are just a clan head, and a shinobi _under my command_. I am the leader of this village. **Know your place**." Hiruzen added coldly. Hiashi sat back down, his anger all but gone from his mind. He wiped the sweat off his brow, as he was brought back to earth to realize just who he was talking to.

"I apologize for my outburst, Hokage-sama. I was out of line." Hiashi apologized profusely. "Last night has been pretty stressful for me, as I'm sure you could imagine." he added as an excuse.

"Apology accepted." Hiruzen lit his pipe, unimpressed by the man's lies. "Remember this the next time though, I may not be this forgiving then." he warned him calmly, and Hiashi nodded shakily.

"If that is all," Hiashi sighed. "May I take my leave, Hokage-sama? " he asked.

Hiruzen nodded a,nd watched as Hiashi left when suddenly an ANBU appeared in his wake.

"Hokage-sama, Naruto Uzumaki is now awake." he informed dutifully. Hiruzen nodded and waved him off, himself vanishing in a shunshin to go to the hospital and see his grandchild in all but blood. It was Hiruzen's turn to make apologies now, the man thought despairingly.

* * *

 **At the Hospital**

* * *

 **Naruto's Room**

* * *

Naruto idly sat in his bed, gazing out of the window to see some birds in a tree with a stupid smile. Suddenly, the door to his private ward opened and in walked Hiruzen, completely silently, to his bedside and sat by the chirpy looking boy's side who was currently too lost in gazing at the birds to pay any heed to his presence. It was humbling to see the change in behavior towards him, if only in a child; if Hiruzen were to be perfectly honest.

"Glad to see you awake, Naruto-kun." Hiruzen said. Naruto was startled, yelped, and tried to curl up in a ball. But seeing Hiruzen, he relaxed a little and a small smile lit on his lips.

"It's good to see you jiji!" Naruto whispered timidly, and Hiruzen's heart broke in two seeing his involuntary reaction, and the loss of his cheerful shout whenever he previously saw him. His eyes still held their innocence within them, but Hiruzen could see them darting them every which way - the boy was fully alert - on guard.

Hiruzen's heart ached in agony seeing the little boy putting his guard on like a veteran shinobi, and a feeling of shame and regret crossed his face for it. Hiruzen pulled himself back against the pillow right besides Naruto, and wrapped an arm around his shoulder. He brought the boy's face to his chest, and smiled when Naruto snuggled into it. He was honestly glad that Naruto still trusted him enough to accept an embrace, and he would be damned to make sure he kept that trust intact, as unwarranted it may be.

But then he asked something that stabbed Hiruzen right through the gut.

"Jiji, am I a demon…?" Naruto whispered solemnly. Hiruzen tightened his arms around the boy, and closed his eyes in shame. He knew what those damn Hyuga's might have told him, Ibiki was really thorough in the reports he made, and he had made a small note that after Anko had found out what they'd done to Naruto; she had been extra tender with them. Hiruzen had physically shivered at the thought of an overprotective big sister, as sadistic as Anko, slicing and dicing her victims. Since she shared a special bond with Naruto after taking care of him when he was a little baby, Hiruzen couldn't blame her for it. Hiruzen bowed his head in shame at the fact that he had let this crime happen in the first place.

"No, Naruto." Hiruzen shook his head sadly. "You are not a demon, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise! I am the Hokage, and if I say you aren't a demon, then you aren't. Alright?!" he asked. Naruto sniffed in his chest and nodded before breaking away from the hug. Hiruzen wiped his moist eyes with his sleeves just as the nurse came in with Naruto's breakfast in tow. Both ate silently, since Naruto was kind enough to share some with Hiruzen, and the man smiled at Naruto's kind gestures while ate with him. The ANBU in the shadows protecting him couldn't help but smile at their interactions

"Jiji, can I ask you a question?" Naruto asked quietly.

Hiruzen placed a hand on his shoulder and nodded.

Naruto said nothing, shaking his head in negative. "Alone." he whispered.

Hiruzen looked at him confused, unaware as to what he meant by that. But just as Naruto looked up at the right corner of the ceiling, right towards the hidden ANBU, all of their eyes went wide. Hiruzen signaled them to leave, and as soon they were alone, he saw Naruto relax a bit more. Apparently, the boy had known of his ' _guests'_ the whole time - intriguing.

"Well," Hiruzen started. "How did you know that they were there, Naruto?" he asked.

Naruto looked at him awkwardly and whispered in a scared voice, "I could feel them there." he admitted softly. "But I am not a freak or a monster, really!" he insisted, tugging on Hiruzen's sleeves desperately. Hiruzen, though, was shocked that he was a natural sensor just like all the Uzumaki's before him, and could sense even an ANBU's presence without concentrating too much.

"Naruto," Hiruzen asked, dread coiling in stomach like a snake. "Why do you keep saying that you are a monster?" he asked dismally.

Naruto looked down, "The wardens at the orphanage said so when I told her about it, and then everyone started teasing me, saying that I was a freak who didn't belong with them." he said sadly. Hiruzen, though, was furious. Those damn civilians really were idiots he made them out to be, and he was glad that Anko was having her fun with them even now!

"Naruto," Hiruzen caressed his whiskers kindly. "What you have, is a very rare ability which only very strong shinobi possess, and it helps them immensely throughout their lives." he explained. Naruto, in a turn of mood, looked at him happily, and smiled widely.

"Really!" Naruto chirped. "Did the Fourth have it too?!" he asked excitedly.

Hiruzen chuckled, he was still the same Naruto alright. "Yes, Minato too was a natural born sensor and he used it immensely in his battles." Hiruzen confirmed. Naruto had twinkling eyes just thinking about him having the same abilities as his idol had once possessed.

 _"He considers you his idol, and looks up to you so much that_ _it is almost painful._ _He forgot_ _all about_ _his pain as soon as you were mentione_ _d -_ _I_ _really do_ _wish you were here, Minato…"_ Hiruzen thought in fond nostalgia.

"Well, Jiji, I want to ask you another thing." Naruto tugged on his sleeve.

Hiruzen looked at him curiously, urging him to go on, "You see," Naruto fidgeted nervously. "Last night, when those men threw their knives at me, I was suddenly able to see everything really clearly - like crazy sharp! And I even saw those kunai move in slow motion -ttebayo! Is that a normal thing all ninja have too?" Naruto asked with all his innocence.

Hiruzen, meanwhile, was sweating bullets on the inside. He had sealed his Sharingan last night, and made sure that no one knew about it except him. The Hyuga's - who were dead, and Ibiki and Anko - as the Hyuga had spilled it out to them - were the only ones to know. The latter duo had been sworn to secrecy, and Hiruzen trusted them enough to keep their word. How could he tell Naruto, though, that he had the almost extinct and feared Namikaze bloodline and heritage coursing within him.

Hiruzen wondered how to go about it without revealing too much. "Well, Naruto-kun, you have a special power that is very rare and very strong." he explained to a wide eyed Naruto. "It is almost lost to the world, and you are probably the last one to ever wield it in this day and age." before Naruto could break in a squeal of glee. "But I have sealed it for the time being," Hiruzen dashed his hopes before they got too big. Naruto looked at him in surprise, but held no amount of doubt or fear in the man.

"Aw." he pouted. "Why would you do that, jiji?" he wondered innocently.

Hiruzen smiled and a put a hand over his head, patting the happy boy's head for the abject faith he had in him. "Because, Naruto-kun, your powers are very rare and many people on the outside as well as the inside will stop at nothing to take it from you. They might even do bad things to you for it, just like last night. That's why, I will keep it sealed until you graduate from the Academy and are ready to reveal it to everyone in the world." Hiruzen told him in kind.

Naruto giggled, "Alright jiji, I trust you enough with that. But what is it?" he asked curiously.

Hiruzen smiled at his enthusiasm. "I'm sorry, Naruto. But that's a surprise you'll find out, after I have unsealed it. Until then, you must not tell anyone about it, or I won't teach you anything about it in the future." Naruto furiously bobbed his head left and right. "Speaking of surprises though, here you go." Hiruzen smiled, handing Naruto a beginner's scroll for chakra theory, and some practice kunai and shurikens for the start of his training.

"There's your birthday gift," Hiruzen told the boy. "Use them wisely to become a great shinobi, and make me proud. Carry on the will of fire with you. My blessings are with you, child." Hiruzen pressed a palm on his head to bless him, and Naruto hugged him happily and tightly.

"Old man, what's the 'will of fire'?!" he asked innocently, and Hiruzen smiled.

Today would mark the day he would start molding Naruto into the shinobi Minato had aspired his son to be.

Hiruzen wouldn't make the same mistakes he made with his previous students, he promised to himself.

"Well, Naruto-kun, it is a belief that the First and the Second Hokage shared - a belief upon which they built this village. They believed in their hearts that the true strength of a shinobi comes when they protect something precious to them. They wanted this village to be a place where people came together, putting aside their differences and lived together peacefully. Everyone would consider this village as their precious home, and protect it. That was their vision, and that is the will of fire that has made all of the Hokage's the strongest shinobi in the world - and the Village Hidden in the Leaves the strongest village." Hiruzen said in a wizened tone. Naruto hung onto his every word, if this was what made the Hokage's so strong - even the Fourth - then Naruto too would try and protect everyone precious to him as well.

"Then, I too will protect everyone precious to me, and carry on the will of fire with me!" Naruto jabbed a proud thumb on his chest. "I will surpass all the Hokage's before you, even the Fourth. Just you watch, jiji!" he said, pumping his fist in the air ,and Hiruzen chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm with a nod.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, the will of fire burns brightly in you. I have no doubt that you'll make a fine Hokage some day, and a finer man even still." Hiruzen ruffled his hair. Naruto pouted at the man, thinking he was joking and grew even more determined from Hiruzen's laughing.

"But, jiji, what does it mean to be a shinobi?" Naruto wondered with a finger to his lip. Hiruzen turned to the boy in surprise, throwing a leg over the other to make himself comfortable. That was a very tough question, and might even become Naruto's ideal in life. So, Hiruzen thought about it hard for a few moments, and pondered on how to go about explaining it.

Naruto kept looking at him curiously, awaiting an answer, "A shinobi is one who endures to achieve their goals, no matter the circumstances. He never falters down his path, and is willing to endure anything to protect what's precious to him. That is the path of a true ninja. That is what makes a shinobi so revered, in my opinion." Hiruzen explained, and Naruto looked at him oddly for a few moments before grinning stupidly with a happy nod.

"What do you wish to achieve in life, Naruto?" Hiruzen idly wondered.

"It's simple, jiji!" Naruto chirped. "I want to protect everyone precious to me, and surpass the Fourth Hokage!" he said cheerfully, and Hiruzen smiled.

It seemed the former had been added just now. Hiruzen too believed in him just as Minato had once believed in his son.

"I believe you, Naruto. Now go to sleep, and tomorrow you can return back to the orphanage." Hiruzen patted his head.

Naruto frowned, "...the orphanage." he mumbled uncertainly.

Hiruzen looked at him, confused, _"Does he not want to go back to the orphanage…?"_

It was a possibility he had been foreseeing anyhow.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" he asked dreadfully.

Naruto looked at him sadly. "I don't want to go back to the orphanage, jiji." he dropped the bomb on this poor, old man's heart. "It's nice living there and all, but everyone is mean to me. I don't like it there. It hurts. It hurts so much." he whispered solemnly.

Hiruzen frowned, and thought about the problem. When nothing came to mind, "Well, sleep for now, Naruto-kun and come to my office tomorrow morning. We'll talk about it there and try to solve your problem. Is that okay with you?!" he asked. Naruto smiled and nodded, hugging him.

Hiruzen patted his head one last time, and tucked him in the comforters and stayed by his side until Naruto fell asleep, his exhaustion finally taking over his senses. Hiruzen smiled and left the hospital to go back to the Hokage Tower, and continue on his work ***cough*** paperwork.

* * *

 **Next Morning**

* * *

Naruto walked to the Hokage tower, but was sad seeing the usual cold glares he felt at the orphanage still haunting him here. He kept up a fake smile to not let anyone see his sadness, and walked through the hallways in a breeze. Just as he was about to walk past the secretary, she shouted, but Naruto kept on jogging to Hiruzen's office, paying her no mind and with the Hokage marked name plate in view, he grinned.

She caught up to him just as he was turning the doorknob and shouted, "Hey, you brat!" she exclaimed, "Hokage-sama doesn't meet anyone without an appointment. Especially things like you!" she hissed venomously. Naruto ignored her, and tried walking in regardless while she ran up to him in a jiffy.

"Hey, jiji!" he chirped happily, and Hiruzen smiled behind his desk seeing his grandson.

But the secretary came in, and started dragging Naruto out roughly by his collar, "You runt! How dare you enter this office without the Hokage's permission? And call him old man?! Who do you think you are?! His highness doesn't concern himself with trash like you." she snarled viciously as she continued dragging him and Naruto kept resisting her equally stubbornly.

"Let go of me!" Naruto whimpered softly.

"Stop it!" Hiruzen roared, furiously slamming his palms on the table. The secretary stopped, stunned, and looked at him with frightened eyes. Hiruzen was rarely got angry, instead he was always kind and calm like people casually made him out to be.

"Leave him be," he commanded gravely. "Naruto is allowed to meet me at anytime he wishes - even without an appointment. And you better treat him like you would any other citizens of the Leaf, or I'm sure Anko would love to have coffee with you some time." he warned menacingly.

The secretary paled, stuttered out a 'sorry' and ran out - closing the door behind her. Naruto looked at Hiruzen, confused as to who this Anko fellow was, and why was his secretary so afraid of him. He was pretty sure though that he had heard that name somewhere before, but he shrugged it off _for now_.

"Have a seat, Naruto," Hiruzen offered with his grandfatherly smile.

Naruto plopped down on the couch without further ado, "So, Naruto, what do you want to do now?!" Hiruzen said, getting straight to the point. "Do you want me to find you a different orphanage?" he suggested, avoiding the second outcome if possible, but his relief was short lived.

"No, jiji," Naruto shook his head. "If it's possible, I would like to stay on my own from now." he said resolutely, and Hiruzen sighed.

This was exactly what he had been afraid of, "Naruto, it is very difficult for you to live on your own." Hiruzen tried to talk some sense into the boy's head. "You are only five years old, and living alone will get very lonely for you, really quickly. Try out another one, it'll be better this time, I promise!" he desperately tried to sway the boy's decision.

"I can live on my own, jiji!" Naruto chirped, sinking Hiruzen's heart along with it. "The orphanage taught us how to cook, and we had to help sometimes in the household chores there too. So, I know I can take care of myself!" Hiruzen tried to butt in, "And anyways, no one ever wants me around there anyways, so it'll be nice to live alone!" he admitted sadly. Hiruzen sighed, he did not have any counter to that argument. He had already prepared himself if something like this happened, however. He took out an envelope from his drawers, and handed it to Naruto who took it, and instantly tore it open.

The envelope contained a lot of money, and some keys in it.

Naruto looked at him confused, "What's this, jiji?" he asked.

"Those, Naruto, are the keys to your new apartment." Hiruzen explained. "And with that is the money you'll use to buy the necessary supplies for your home. You'll get your money from me directly, every month - as I will visit you regularly. If you ever run out of money, then come to me directly! But do not waste any of it alright!" Hiruzen said in warning tone. Naruto nodded happily. Hiruzen smiled. If that's what it took, then Naruto could be made independent a bit sooner. Even though, he wanted him to live in the orphanage until at least six, but it was fine if Naruto himself was happy since the other option was always open for him as well.

"Let's go see your new apartment, Naruto." Hiruzen said. Naruto walked happily with Hiruzen throughout the village, and grinned as they came to the residential area of the village, all the while while Hiruzen guided him by his finger. Most of the upper echelon in Hiruzen's shinobi forces lived here, and so, it was a secure and safe place for him to be in. They walked up to a big apartment complex, and kept walking up to the fifth and top floor.

Hiruzen put in the key to the door, and the duo stepped in.

It was a two bedroom, fully-furnished apartment. The living room had a couch, and a table with a TV. Hiruzen showed him the kitchen with a counter-top to eat on, and it also had a dining table for four to the side. There were two rooms with double beds, dresser tables, a desk and a closet. It had a single nice bathroom with a bathtub and a shower.

Naruto was ecstatic that the apartment was so good to live in, and he had it all to himself!

But then, he realized, he would just be alone in this big apartment and no one would come his home anyways as they didn't want anything to do with him.

Hiruzen, seeing his depressed state, decided to cheer him up.

"Hey, Naruto!" Hiruzen called out from balcony. "Come here. I'll show you a surprise, and tell you why I chose this apartment for you." Hiruzen said. Naruto walked with him to the bedroom, and Hiruzen slid open a tempered glass door and walked out with Naruto in tow. As Naruto gazed out of the small balcony, his breath got caught in his throat. He had a perfect view to the Hokage Monument with the Fourth's face being the closest to see!

He watched Hiruzen smile at him, and rushed to hug him when the man chuckled.

"Um. Old man. Not that I mind it, but isn't this apartment a bit too expensive?" Naruto justly wondered. "I don't think I'll be able to pay the rent, and won't there be people living nearby object to me living here. I mean, people don't really like me -ttebayo!"

Hiruzen put a hand on his head, "There's no one in this entire building except for a caretaker of the building who sees it's maintenance. So, you don't have to worry about anyone." he eased the boy's worries. "And as for the rent, you don't have to pay anything- as I own this entire building." Hiruzen smiled as Naruto looked at him happily. and nodded.

Well, Hiruzen had lied a bit.

Actually, it belonged to Naruto himself, and Hiruzen was just it's guardian for the time being. It was a property Minato had bought under the Namikaze family name, and Hiruzen had never rented it out to anyone fearing Naruto one day might need it for himself, and boy was he was glad that he had made that decision. The Namikaze family owned several properties nearby the residential district, and the shopping district apart from the clan compounds they owned in the most prominent clan grounds. The compounds were huge, and had a few houses along with the clan head's house alongside open grounds. The Namikaze were relatively small in their primes, but a rich, highly knowledgeable, and respected family nonetheless. Their libraries were bigger than even the Daimyo's and the Sarutobi's, and still held their vast knowledge accumulated over the years. Hiruzen was safekeeping it for now, keeping it well maintained until he handed it all to Naruto. The bank accounts were also flourishing from their properties and investments. And with no one to use them, they were promptly collecting dust. That's how he was paying Naruto his monthly stipend and fees to the orphanage, mind you. Minato had left everything to Naruto, but Hiruzen had to make sure that the boy valued things and never got arrogant with all the material things being showered over him to do as he pleased.

Hiruzen had promised Minato as such, and he would make sure to keep it intact.

"Well, Naruto," Hiruzen murmured with a nudge to Naruto's shoulders. "Do you like it?" he asked slyly. Naruto jumped at Hiruzen almost instantly, and wrapped his arms around his neck, burying his face in it while Hiruzen caught him in his arms with a chuckle.

"Thanks, jiji. I love you," Naruto whispered so softly that Hiruzen had almost missed it. "You are one of my precious people that I wish to protect -ttebayo!" Naruto said honestly.

Hiruzen smiled as he placed him down on the ground. "You know that I love you as well, and that you are my grandson in everything but blood, don't you, Naruto?" he asked. Naruto wiped his wet cheeks and nodded with a tearful smile. Hiruzen ruffled his hair and the boy giggled as Hiruzen took his small hand in his own, and both started walking towards the door to exit the apartment. Hiruzen locked it behind him, and took Naruto's hand again as he started walking with him through the streets. Everyone was staring as expected, and were rightfully wondering why the Hokage paid so much attention to the demon brat. But not a single one had the courage to walk up and ask Hiruzen and Naruto that to their faces.

Naruto, wondering where they were going, decided to ask Hiruzen upfront, "Where are we going?" he asked with a tilt of his head.

Hiruzen smiled "Well, you do wish to be a shinobi," he remarked offhandedly. "Don't you, Naruto?"

Naruto nodded "Then you would need the equipment to train properly, and will also be in need of some clothes as you will now live independently from here on out. The ninja equipment we use is expensive for you to afford on a monthly stipend, _as big as_ _it might be."_ Hiruzen murmured the last part to himself.

Shaking his head, "You would need advice on what to use, and what not to use as you keep growing up and increase your training. I am taking you to an old friend of mine who owns the biggest shop of shinobi equipment in Leaf where you can go and buy stuff. I will fund your equipment personally till you become a genin." Naruto's childlike eyes made Hiruzen grin playfully. "Since we can't hamper the growth of a shinobi who will one day surpass the Fourth Hokage now, can we?!" he questioned equally playfully.

Naruto grinned. "Of course you can't -ttebayo!" he pumped up jovially. "I'll definitely surpass the Fourth, and become an awesome shinobi." he said enthusiastically. Hiruzen chuckled as the hoardings to the store came in sight. It was aptly named the 'White Dragon'.

Coming inside, Naruto looked on shelf after shelf, amazed at the weapons lined up on the walls in stacks and rows. He ran off in a hurry, gazing at every little weapon with metaphoric stars in his eyes. Hiruzen smiled and held him from reaching out for a broadsword twice the size of his own and laughed at Naruto's pout. Watching the weapons had never been this fun, he thought as they duo walked up to the counter.

There was a tall and large overly muscled man standing there, flicking away on a magazine.

Both elders smiled at each other. "It's been a long time. Hasn't it, Haru?" Hiruzen whispered nostalgically.

Haru nodded, "It sure has, Sarutobi. And I see you've brought me a new permanent customer to make up for it." he pointed to a wide eyed Naruto staring at the swords section in childish awe.

Hiruzen chuckled, "Yes. Indeed Naruto-kun here will be coming to you from now on for his books and equipment." Hiruzen pushed a slip to Haru. "As I know, you do understand that he wont exactly be welcome in the public library." Hiruzen muttered bitterly.

Haru nodded, gazing sadly at the boy. He trusted the Fourth's skills in sealing enough and knew the boy was no Kyūbi - he was merely the container. "He has started living independently at a complex nearby, and I want you to help him get things he wishes to learn or the things he might come to need for his training." Hiruzen stamped the seal on Haru's register to start a new tab.

Haru nodded, "Hiruzen, you do realize that it would be too expensive for an orphan living on a monthly stipend to afford things in my shop right?" he asked without an ounce of patronizing in his tone. "He can't buy everything he needs from here like the children of elite clans, or kids with civilian merchant's parents can. You know that, and yet you show him such high hopes?!" he wondered what the sly old coot was playing or smoking at.

Hiruzen turned to him with a smirk. "Let me take care of the money. Put everything he buys on that account, and let him buy whatever he needs. I'll take care of it." he said off-the-cuff, handing him the Namikaze Family account details. Haru took the details in, and his eyes went widen seeing the initials. Haru gazed at Naruto, then to Hiruzen, and then back to the paper. He repeated it two times, all the while Hiruzen watched him with an amused smile.

Mere moments later, a fond smile broke free from his shock, and Haru chuckled.

Hiruzen looked at him, confused, "Now I see why the Fourth chose him to carry the burden. But why is he still here?" Haru asked, putting two and two together. "Did his so-called 'family' abandon him?" it wasn't out of the realms of possibility for a family to abandon a jinchuriki, and Hiruzen's sad nod only made Haru wince.

Haru was one of the few people that Minato had once trusted - personally. The trio had forged a strong bond during the Third Great Shinobi War and it's following events. He trusted him with his heritage and knew he won't tell a soul unless he told him to do so.

"They too viewed him as a demon, and blamed Minato's death on him. Minato made me promise to take care of Naruto, and guide him to become a great shinobi. I'll honor his last wish even if it's the last thing I do." Hiruzen said with steel in his voice and Haru nodded.

"Does he know?" Haru asked and Hiruzen shook his head in negative.

Haru looked at him questionably. "Minato left me specific instructions on when to reveal the truth to Naruto, and I intend do it myself when he's ready." Hiruzen told him.

Haru smiled, "Don't worry, Sarutobi. His secret is safe with me." he assured Hiruzen. "Minato was a dear friend of mine, and his legacy deserves to live on. I'll help Naruto with everything I can. Don't worry, I'll guide him good." Haru promised. Hiruzen nodded, smiling as both walked towards the little excited ball of sunshine hopping along the shelve lines.

"So, little one! Let's get you some clothes now, shall we?!" Haru clapped. Naruto broke out of his trance and awe and nodded chirpily. They walked him into the changing room with stacks of clothes, and in the end, agreed on three shirts. Each with a lightning bolt concealed in a circle on it's back. Naruto took an off-white, blood-red, and a lacquer black T-shirt with him alongside matching black pants and black shinobi sandals. His insistence on getting some cool orange clothes had been put down pretty quickly by them both.

Hiruzen and Haru looked on with smiles as they saw him seeing himself happily changing from his clothes and trying them on in front of the vanity mirror. "That symbol looks good on him, doesn't it?" Haru whispered out of Naruto's earshot. Hiruzen could do nothing more than nod. That was the symbol of the Namikaze clan, and no one really remembered it now since the clan members dwindled down to really few in number and even fewer wore it. It was forgotten by nearly everyone except a select few who had been to the Namikaze clan compounds personally - where the symbols were engraved everywhere.

The Namikaze clan were exceptionally skilled at sealing, second only to the Uzumaki in their hey day, and were specialists in speed-based Taijutsu and Lightning based Ninjustsu - thus, their symbol marked a sealed bolt. Both elderly men were glad to see someone don the Namikaze symbol again with pride after nearly a generation. Minato always wore the symbol somewhere on him somewhere it wasn't very visible to keep it under wraps from prying eyes.

" _Maybe_ _,_ _Naruto will make everyone remember the Namikaze symbol again_ _?_ " Hiruzen thought as they checked everything out and the bill was added to the accounts. Hiruzen took Naruto to the nearby departmental store, and bought him his basic supplies like meat, bread, milk and the rest. The people at the store glared at Naruto, but did nothing as Hiruzen was there with him. And the neighbors themselves were furious when they learnt that he would be staying in the nearby apartment complex from now on. Hiruzen warned them of his laws after sending Naruto into the store to get some more things, and told them to treat him as they would anyone else lest the ANBU report to him otherwise and Hiruzen be forced at the closing of the store. The people at the store had paled, and said he was welcome here twenty four/seven and that they won't do anything to him to him.

Hiruzen had nodded his pleasantries and left with Naruto to go back to his apartment.

"Alright, Naruto…" Hiruzen sighed as the sun began dipping into the horizon. "You are on your own from now on and will live independently. You can go to that department store earlier to get your supplies, and to Haru-san will help you with anything related to your shinobi equipment or requirements. Come to me if you need anything else, and I shall see to it that it gets done." Hiruzen knelled down to wrap Naruto in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, old man!" Naruto whispered honestly. "This means a lot to me, thanks." he thanked him again. Hiruzen smiled and patted his head as he took his leave. Watching happiness return to Naruto's eyes had been endearing. He deserved so much more. Hiruzen knew the council would raise hell over his absence tomorrow, but he could care less about what they said right now. Naruto was living with what his father left for him to inherit.

They could do nothing as no one other than Hiruzen himself knew what became of the Namikaze's family accounts and of it's properties. He had kept everything they owned a secret to keep those fools from his old team and those leeches from the Civilian Council away from sniffing around too much around it. All they knew was that he was keeping watch on it until someone claimed it, which in their minds would be inherited by the so called _'_ _Uzumaki Princesses of_ _the Leaf'_ after they returned. And Hiruzen intended to keep them under that illusion right until he revealed everything about Naruto to the world.

They had put their noses in others issues for far too long, and now he would be the one pulling them around in a circle by their ears, were Hiruzen's thoughts as he returned back to his duties at the Hokage Office.

 _"Don't_ _you_ _worry_ _,_ _Minato_ _._ _I'll make sure_ _that_ _your son gets the things you wanted him to_ _inherit_ _even if I have to pull out some lies and deception_ _with_ _in the council_ _itself_ _. Your son will be fine_ _-_ _I'll make sure of it_ _-_ _and you can rest in peace_ _,_ _old friend."_ _Hiruzen thought._

The orange skies made Hiruzen think that some orange in Naruto's wardrobe might not be such a bad thing, after all.

* * *

 **~TBC~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

 **(Timeskip 1 year)**

* * *

 **Naruto's Apartment**

* * *

It had been a year since Hiruzen had allowed Naruto to live in his own apartment, and so far, all had gone well. Beams of light trickled through his windows at dawn, making Naruto's face scrunch up as he was forced to wake up with a groan. This outgoing year had turned out to be a decent one for the blonde. He had come to love living in his new house, a place where he didn't have to turn a blind eye to the insults of the his wardens made him happy. But the inherent need of home-cooked meals had persuaded him to learn some cooking from the cookbooks Hiruzen had bought for him. Hiruzen's constant nagging that he couldn't last off on ramen and pork cutlet bowls from Ichiraku's, cereal, and milk his whole life had turned out to be pretty accurate.

It was frightening how quickly food for the gods turned stale after continual consumption.

Naruto had protested at first, sure,and Hiruzen had conceded that he could indeed live off of ramen his whole life - if he wanted to grow up to be a midget that is - and that had shut Naruto's mouth pretty quickly. After a few destroyed utensils, some burnt precooked dinners, and easy to make meals, Naruto was proud to admit that he had now reached a point where he could make averagely delectable food - and had given him a pat on the back to himself when Hiruzen had told him that his cooking skills were improving pretty rapidly after a nice, warm dinner one night.

Speaking of improvements, right after Hiruzen had shown Naruto to the shinobi store, the boy had managed to scour out a few interesting books with Haru's help and had even unlocked his chakra on his own after trying, meditating and failing for a week until he had finally unlocked it. He had quickly managed to become a favorite customer at the White Dragon shop, and just as Hiruzen had so predicted, Naruto had forged a good bond with the shop owner, Haru that was now nearly impossible to break. Haru always helped him find rare books on various shinobi subjects to get him started on any subjects Naruto found interesting, and even threw in various books for beginners on stealth, trap making, chakra theory, basic chakra control, kanji, calligraphy and various other shinobi books with detailed accounts of war from his own pocket.

Haru and Hiruzen had been shocked beyond all belief when Naruto had started taking a liking to the revered art of sealing. Hiruzen had shown him the basics of sealing arts at first, where the boy had been shown some primitive explosive tags and storage scrolls as an example, and Naruto had been fascinated by the art ever since. Hiruzen was nearly jumping for joy on the inside that Naruto was following in the footsteps of his forefathers, and had been more than happy to introduce him to the finer arts of Fūinjutsu. Hiruzen had instructed Naruto to start off with improving his handwriting with some kanji, and had even bought him a basic calligraphy kit and various other books on calligraphy, a few scrolls on the basics and foundations of the sealing arts, and it's historic importance. Hiruzen had even managed to secretly smuggle in a book written by Namikaze Minato himself, a book that the Minato had once wished to make published for those who were interested in pursuing the art of sealing but never got around doing it due to it's faux intricate nature.

The journal had stayed with Hiruzen all this time, collecting dust in his bookshelf. He had decided to give it to Naruto as a memoir to his idol/father, and when Naruto had seen the index signed by the Fourth Hokage himself, and all his hand written manuscripts for the unpublished book that went along with it, it had come to be one of Naruto's most prized possessions. Naruto had become even more captivated with the extinct and forgotten art after learning that his idol, the Fourth Hokage, was one of the greatest seal masters this world had ever seen outdone only by the likes of some ancient Uzumaki sealmasters.

Haru had introduced Naruto to the Academy's curriculum, it mostly contained theory about the history of some major shinobi villages and the strategies that had been used by shinobi in the previous great wars. It was only logical that they had to learn it, so that they could think of similar ways to devise corresponding strategies in future wars. The next three years, Haru had told him, would be focused on perfecting the art of molding his chakra, some physical conditioning, basic chakra control, hand seals, and to fine tune the academy's basic three Ninjutsu coupled with the academy's basic Taijutsu stances. Naruto had asked if it was enough to learn just the three basic Academy Ninjutsu and graduate the Academy earlier to take on some missions and garner experience, but his idea had been quick to shut down.

Haru had adamantly told him that most of the students learnt some more jutsus from their clans and that most of the civilian students' parents hired personal tutors for them to learn a couple of effective jutsus, and to help them hone their basics before they graduated the Academy. Naruto knew that no one would want to train him personally, and since he didn't have any family, he would be on his own for the greater part of his life. That last part hurt him a little more than he liked admitting, but he didn't dwell on it for long as the thought of entering the Academy on the next day was now exciting his mind beyond all measures.

Today, meanwhile, Naruto was walking back to his apartment after getting himself some new sets of books and scrolls for the Academy curriculum that had been issued to him by Hiruzen himself. Naruto was ecstatic for tomorrow at the thought that maybe, just maybe, he might even manage to make himself some new friends and not be lonely anymore. He had been living a peaceful life ever since he had left the orphanage, sure, but the one thing that his heart still craved for was some friends. None of the clans let him enter their compounds and threw him out if he ever crossed their boundaries by mistake. A couple of times, the clan members had even beaten him a little before the ANBU had arrived on scene and restricted them for their felony.

Naruto never went near any of clan grounds ever since.

The civilian parents in the park never let their children come near him, and even told them that he was a bad child and to stay away from him. It hurt Naruto deeply to be in such a large village yet remain so lonely, but maybe tomorrow, if he could make a few friends and have someone his age come over to his house, play, talk, hangout, and have someone else other than the Hiruzen, Haru and the Ichiraku's family to verbalize to; he won't be lonely.

He was walking down the streets after the sun had set, and was going to his apartment while ignoring the glares they shot his way. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Naruto was pulled into an alley and he fell down on his back. Regaining his bearings, Naruto saw three people donning the Leaf's forehead protectors and flak jackets surrounding his way out the alley.

Naruto's stomach dropped in dread when they pulled out kunai knives at him, and their smiles were downright evil. He had shivers running down his spine in fright at the vulnerable situation he found himself in. Naruto got up, and dashed through an opening, zigzagging his way down the alleyways while the three men followed hot on his tail. Naruto knew they could have caught him by now if they so desired, being trained shinobi and all, but were probably enjoying the thrill of the chase. They were giving him some time, at the very least. Naruto tried to run even quicker when the men chuckled right behind him, apparently amused from his lame attempts at escaping them.

Naruto suddenly came to an abrupt stop when he saw the alley come to an end, and all he had ahead of him was a wall - a dead end.

Naruto turned around just as the men turned around the corner and took a step back, then another, and another when his back hit the wall. The shinobi began laughing at his miserable face when Naruto's back hit the wall and his eyes misted over with unshed tears. A lone tear rolled down his cheek when the men took out shurikens, not the practice one he was used to seeing, but the real deal. Without any hesitation or remorse, they chucked a volley of them towards him. Two shurikens lodged themselves in his right thigh and one in his left, another once in each of his forearms and a vicious scream in agony tore through his throat. Naruto fell down to his knees, whimpering in pain while they laughed at his misery.

"How the mighty have fallen," one of them taunted. "So, how does it feel to bear the pain that you inflicted on so many other humans, Kyūbi?! We know that we can't kill you or you'll regain your strength and be free off your bonds, but we can torture your vessel and break you from the inside out. Don't worry, you'll soon be numb from the pleasure we'll inflict upon you."

"Why?" Naruto whimpered dizzily. "Why do you people keep doing this to me?! What have I ever done to you?"

"What did you do you say, Kyūbi?" they sneered furiously. "You killed so many of our villagers, and now you have the gall to ask what you did?! And to top it all of, you have the guts to join the Academy to regain your strength?! We'll make this a night to remember."

As soon as those words were said, Naruto curled up into a ball and prepared himself for the pain he knew was coming. No one noticed his cerulean blue pools bleed red when they were beating, kicking and stabbing him on all his non-fatal points. Naruto didn't know how long it continued for as his body grew number and his whimpers turned incoherent, all the while pleading if someone would save him.

* * *

 **At the Hokage Office**

* * *

Hiruzen, having gone through a long council meeting, the point of which he still had trouble comprehending, was annoyed at being pointlessly held back for so long. They were arguing and asking pointless things off of him that, in his honest opinion, were beyond ridiculous. Moreover, he still had to go and complete all the pending paperwork that must have piled up on his desk in his absence. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as his back hit the leather of his chair. He inked his brush and started scribbling away at the stack of folders.

He must have been at it for hours since the sun was beginning to set in the horizon, Hiruzen realized tiredly. The thought of not being able to go see Naruto for congratulating the boy on making the cut for the Academy saddened him. But he promised himself that tomorrow, at Ichiraku's, he would treat the boy and listen to all his babbles for the entire evening. Hiruzen had just about finished on his train of thoughts when Kakashi came striding in the door, an act that made Hiruzen grow a bit confused.

"Mission accomplished, Hokage-sama." Kakashi sighed lazily, further confusing Sarutobi.

"What mission is that Kakashi?" he questioned as if the masked jōnin had grown a second head. "I don't remember assigning you any missions. Weren't you supposed to be watching over Naruto tonight?" he asked with a hint of worry while Kakashi looked at him perplexed.

"But, Hokage-sama, the elders sent two ANBU's saying you were busy in a meeting." Hiruzen blinked, caught off guard. "Plus, this mission required my immediate attention. They even told me that they had assigned someone else to watch over Naruto while I was away."

Hiruzen gulped thickly, "Kakashi, I never issued any missions of importance that might have need of your specific skill-set today." he admitted with a dry throat. "And as for the council meeting, it was a useless gathering of civilians that really had no point in me attending. What was this mission you were on anyways?" he asked dismally.

"I was told to watch a specific part of the village wall. There had been a possibility for a breach of security. But it was most likely a fluke, as everything was fine according to the barrier team. Coincidentally, there was no point in me tending to the mission as well." Kakashi's words furthered Hiruzen's worries. Hiruzen's and Kakashi's minds simultaneously began connecting dots. The useless council meeting summoned by the elders and the civilian council, Kakashi's fake mission, absolutely no breach in security, the ANBU detail...

Hiruzen stood up, "Kakashi," his voice turned desperate. "Please tell me that you made sure someone was assigned to protect Naruto while you were gone, didn't you?" he asked uncertainly. Kakashi mechanically shook his head, his lone eye widening as he too finished connecting the dots. Hurriedly, Hiruzen took out his crystal ball and desperately tried to locate Naruto. A few moments later, the crystal all locked onto his signature and an image became clear. Hiruzen' blood ran cold. He stood up abruptly as three ANBU came in front of his desk and Kakashi stood by their sides - all four looking ready for the kill. Hiruzen vanished in a tempest of flames, everyone else followed suit and rushed in the same direction with only one thought in mind.

 _Let us make it in time!_

* * *

 **Meanwhile, i** **n the** **A** **lleyway** **…**

* * *

It must been have at least four hours since his torture began, and the beating was still going on. Naruto's body had fallen completely numb a while ago, and the numbness kept increasing as the pain was finally becoming too much for him bear. But Naruto was being forced to remain conscious, since the attacks being inflicted on him weren't allowing him to fall unconscious. The attackers were now getting pretty tired and annoyed as well.

"Hey," one of them heaved. "…He's hurt and everything, but not broken like we were ordered to. What should we do?" one of them asked as another one of them smirked.

"I have an idea," he suggested. "…After this, the Kyūbi will have a hard time staying sane, much less become a threat to the village." he promised. The other two looked at him, intrigued as he started to tear apart the little blonde bundle's clothes in tatters. The others got the gist of what he was about to do and smirked themselves. Naruto, meanwhile, mutely whimpered as his clothes were torn apart, and he tried to think just what it was that they were planning to do with him; was there even something that could be worse than this?

Finally, when he was in nothing but his undergarments, the man who had suggested this plan started to undo his pants. Naruto clenched his eyes shut and wordlessly waited for whatever pain was about to come.

This was the scene Hiruzen, Kakashi and the ANBU walked into. They all had their eyes widened at what the perpetrators were thinking of doing to the boy and when they heard the two men standing on the side, laughing, Hiruzen lost it. He threw a kunai at the man who was undoing his pants' jugular, who dropped dead without a sound while the two other fell to their knees from the killing intent he unleashed. They were terrified at being caught, sure, but were thinking of the consequences that it would lead them to.

"ANBU!" Hiruzen barked.

The three ANBU behind him stiffened, "Orders, Hokage-sama?!"

"Take these bastards to Ibiki. Tell him everything that has occurred in the alley, word for word, and tell him that he has a week to play with them as he sees fit. Especially tell Anko what they were about to do. I'll talk to them later when they are done getting details out of them, and then I will plan their most painful execution, personally, and have them disgraced in front of the whole shinobi forces before being sentenced. Dismissed." he bellowed, and the ANBU took the two alive, whimpering, and begging shinobi away.

Kakashi burned the corpse right then and there, and the both of them walked over to Naruto slowly and steadily so as to not alarm the frightened boy who had tucked himself in a corner to get out of harm's way. He was curled up in a tiny ball, holding the two kunai knives he had pulled out of his own thighs, both of which bled profusely. He was shaking, trembling in fear, but he kept a little guard up. The thing that surprised the Kakashi the most were Naruto's eyes. His usual deep blue cerulean pools now bled red as two tomoes circled in his right eye and a single one in his left. Naruto barely managed croaked out some words, his body still trembling uncontrollably.

"Don't come any closer." he warned them as he kept up his shaking hands pointed at Hiruzen threateningly. Tears streamed down Hiruzen's own cheeks as he focused his attention on the terrified child. The shock of his unsealed eyes was nothing to Hiruzen at the moment compared to the iciness in the frightened words he'd just heard. Hiruzen continued walking closer, slowly with his hands up, while Kakashi held himself back, not wanting to scare the child even more than he already was.

"It's alright Naruto," Hiruzen cooed softly. "No one is going to hurt you anymore. It's me, your old man, don't you remember me, Naruto-kun?" he asked soothingly.

Naruto cried even harder, his kunai still held up in front of him. "Please don't hurt me," Naruto sniffled. "I'll go, and I'll never come back. Just, please, don't hit me anymore. It hurts, it hurts too much. Please, leave me alone! I wanna die and go see my father the old man told me about. He watches over me from above. Please go, I'll kill myself, I promise. Please don't hurt me anymore…" he choked out. Involuntary tears flowed through the adult's faces at hearing what the boy had just admitted. It became was too much for Hiruzen's heart seeing the amount of trauma Naruto was presently under. It was so much that he wasn't even recognizing him, HIM! Hiruzen moved like lightning when Naruto pulled the kunai to his throat and snatched it away in a single, slick motion. The kunai was discarded aside and Hiruzen wrapped his arms around the boy, who struggled coarsely at first, but then hugged him back when Hiruzen's familiar, welcoming scent hit his nose and he cried in his chest.

"Shh." Hiruzen hushed the boy. "It's alright, Naruto, you're fine. I'll take care of everything, you'll be better in no time, now calm down." he whispered comfortingly and smiled when the boy's crying trickled down, and he finally fell unconscious from sheer exhaustion. Hiruzen stood up with the boy in his arms, turning to Kakashi, he nodded and both vanished in a tempest of leaves.

* * *

 **Konoha Hospital**

* * *

The duo arrived at the hospital, and Hiruzen instantly ordered his best medics to treat Naruto. They took him from a hesitant Hiruzen's arms to the operation theater and made Hiruzen sit outside. Sarutobi sighed wearily as his mind went through the flurry of events that had occurred this night, and the only way something of this magnitude was possible was if the council had planned everything out in advance. There had been far too many coincidences taking place tonight, and he knew that they wouldn't have left any proof behind.

Hiruzen couldn't help but be furious that they had the gall to go behind his back in a manner such as this just to hurt Naruto, and the fact that even his own shinobi were a part of it was sickening him to the core. He was broken out of his thoughts, however, as Kakashi decided to make his presence known.

"Hokage-sama, I would like to adopt Naruto." Kakashi humbly requested.

Hiruzen's eyes widened momentarily before they hardened, "No," he denied and raised his hand when the jōnin tried to protest. "You had your chance when I requested that either you or Jiraiya take his custody all those years ago. The last thing this boy needs right now is your hapless pity, an emotion that would haunt him of this incident again, and again, and again." Kakashi bowed his head shamefully. "Plus, when Naruto learns the truth about his family, and your connection to it, it'll tear him apart, and I won't let that happen. I deny your request as the Hokage. Do not utter a word on this topic any further." he warned coldly. Kakashi flinched at his accusations, but knew he couldn't argue to anything when what he was saying was, in fact, right.

"But, Hokage-sama, he is sensei's legacy!" Kakashi pleaded, "I must protect him. Please understand," he resisted.

Hiruzen's glare could have melted a glacier. "I'm sorry, Kakashi. But I won't allow you, or anyone else to adopt Naruto just so that you could get rid of your own guilt. Live with the guilt that because of your cowardice, tonight, your sensei's legacy was beaten black and blue for hours on end and was almost raped." he added harshly. Kakashi held down his head in shame, and seeing Hiruzen's firm stance on Naruto, accepted that the man was unflinching to anyone as of right now.

"But what about his eyes, surely you saw it too!" Kakashi tried. "He would need me train himself to use those eyes properly." he reasoned, trying to convince Hiruzen to at least let him stay close to the boy. Hiruzen seemed to mull over this for a moment before he answered.

"Yes," he conceded. "Indeed he would need you train him someday. But that day is not today, and we can't reveal those eyes to the council yet or some of them might put two and two together. You may train him after, and if, he wants to graduate from the Academy now." he said, further confusing Kakashi with his words.

Hiruzen shot him an 'are you that stupid' look, "You don't honestly think that after this Naruto will hold the same willingness to protect the village that he did before. I sure as hell wouldn't want to protect a village that did this to me. I don't even know if he wants to have anything to do with the village, much less wants to be it's shinobi right now." he sighed.

Kakashi nodded solemnly, seeing his point and kept his quiet from then on.

Suddenly, the doctor came out from the OT, and the duo stood up when he walked over to them. "How is he?" Hiruzen questioned urgently and his heart fell when the doctor grimaced.

"He is out of danger now," both men heaved huge sighs of relief hearing this. "But I must say, it is honestly a miracle that he even survived through whatever the hell he must have endured just now. All of his ribs were cracked or broken, multiple fractures on his cranium, ternary punctures and lacerations from shinobi tools and he has bled, a lot. Surprisingly, he has an unnatural healing rate, that if I had to guess is due to his tenant. It is mending his bones and muscles at an astounding rate as we speak, and the boy should be fine by tomorrow afternoon at the latest."

Sighing, the doctor decided to break them the bad news, "But what affects it had on him mentally, is still unclear. He is conscious right now, sure, but he isn't speaking or interacting to anything at all. You can go see him if you so wish, but please don't let him do anything that might push him too much. I'd propose that you don't even talk to him, if possible." was all he said before pocketing his scalpel and walking away. Hiruzen kept his hand on the door knob and stood still for a few seconds. Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, twisting it open for the man and both he, and Kakashi, walked in the room.

The smell of potent chemicals struck Hiruzen first, but he digressed and walked in. As soon as he did walk in, though, he wished he hadn't because what Hiruzen saw made his heart skip a few beats. Naruto laid on his bed, covered head to toe in bandages. He was awake, but the thing that astounded Hiruzen the most were his eyes. He was gazing out the window with dead, crimson eyes as if uncaring about anything in particular.

Kakashi was the one who broke the deafening silence in the room. "Naruto," he called, but did get so much as a twitch from the boy. It was as if Kakashi hadn't addressed him at all.

Hiruzen breathed a shaky breath, "Naruto…" he tried calling the boy.

Naruto's ear twitched hearing the familiar voice, the first reaction they had gotten since entering the room. Even the nurse standing beside Kakashi seemed shocked that Naruto had acknowledged Hiruzen's voice. Naruto craned his neck to look at Hiruzen, smiling.

"Old…" he coughed viciously. Hiruzen was by his side in a flash, holding a glass of water near his chapped lips. "Old man," Naruto laid his head on Hiruzen's shoulder and snuggled.

Hiruzen held him as gently as he would a feather, ""How are you feeling, Naruto-kun? Does it still hurt right now?!" he asked him calmly. Naruto smiled a little faux smile and nodded.

Hiruzen's heart broke seeing this, _"I'm so sorry Minato_ _,_ _I have failed you and your son._ _Again._ _Those bastards got their claws on him before me_ _,_ _and took away a part of his innocence._ _But_ _I swear_ _on my name as a Sarutobi,_ _I'll do everything in my power to get to the bottom of this."_ he thought. He too smiled his fake, grandfatherly smile and scooped the little boy on his lap. Naruto stiffened at first, and then returned the hug as the dam to his emotions seemed to break. He cried silent tears in Hiruzen's neck while he cooed the boy, trying to calm him down.

"Why do they hate me?" Naruto whispered in his neck.

Hiruzen grimaced, he knew this was coming, "They are fools, Naruto, that's why. They don't understand what powers you hold, and the sacrifice you make each day just by breathing for this accursed village. Give them time, I promise you that they will come around."

Naruto nodded slimly in his chest, "But why me?" he whispered again.

Hiruzen sighed, and knew he would have to shell out some answers. He signaled to his ANBU, and just as they all left the room leaving him and Kakashi, the masked man who was on the couch in a corned, all alone.

"That, I cannot tell you, Naruto-kun. Not yet. I made a promise to your father that I will reveal everything once you became a shinobi, when you were strong enough to protect yourself. I will tell you everything once the time is right, Naruto, do you trust me?"

Naruto nodded.

"You knew my father?" Naruto asked neutrally.

Hiruzen nodded with a smile, his face lit up and tears welled up in the corner of his eyes.

"Who was he? Will you tell me, please?!" Naruto asked desperately, nearly in tears.

Hiruzen's will wavered hearing his pleading tone. But he knew now wasn't the time. He had to keep his promise to Minato, after all. "I cannot tell you that, Naruto. I'm sorry, but you aren't ready for that information yet and I cannot break my promise to your father. He made many enemies before he died, and they will stop at nothing to kill you if they find out who you are or if you even exist. That is why, I'll reveal it to the village when the time is right. Please trust me on this, Naruto." Hiruzen whispered guiltily.

Naruto cried even harder. "Did he love me?" he asked.

Hiruzen wrapped his arms around him tightly. "Yes. You meant the world to him, he wanted to make you a greater shinobi than he ever was, and even wanted to help you get your first girlfriend and walk you to the Academy on your first day. He wanted to be there when you got your first regulation headband. There were so many things he told me he wanted to do you with you, he wanted to live his life through you. Trust me when I say this, but I haven't seen a father as eager as him to see his son grow up." Hiruzen murmured softly.

Naruto stopped crying, and a little, genuine smile lit up his face.

Hiruzen didn't want to, but had to ask this, "So, uh, Naruto, do you still wish to be a shinobi?" uncertainty laced his voice. "I understand if you do not wish to be one."

Naruto shook his head, smiling, "No, I want to be a shinobi more than ever. I want to become a strong shinobi like my father wanted me to be, and then show you I'm ready to learn his secret or protect myself from danger." ' _unlike today'_ _"_ I'll still join the Academy and try to become a strong shinobi. I will get strong enough to protect myself and not feel as helpless as I was today." he softly confessed.

Hiruzen smiled, proud, and nodded, "Alright then. Naruto, now I have to tell you something." he said seriously.

Naruto looked at him curiously, "Earlier tonight, possibly due to the strain and pressure you were subjected to, you reawakened your bloodline traits." he admitted gravely.

Naruto looked at him, confused, "What's a bloodline trait?" he asked innocently.

Hiruzen smiled, at least he hadn't lost all of his innocence from this incident. "A bloodline trait is found in various shinobi from many prominent clans. It is passed down from generation to generation, in blood. These are special skills that cannot be learnt by anyone who hasn't inherited them genetically." Hiruzen explained.

"What's my bloodline trait? And why did you say I reawakened it? Did I have it before?!" Hiruzen kept his palm on Naruto's head, petting him, and Naruto blushed in embarrassment.

"You, Naruto-kun, have a special visual jutsu or a Dōjutsu that is found in the eyes of the beholder. You hold one of the three great Dōjutsu of the world infact : the Sharingan. It is a rare blood limit, found only in rare members of the Uchiha clan." seeing Naruto's wide, childlike eyes absorbing each of his words like a sponge, Hiruzen rambled into it's intricacies to hold his attention to him and make him forget the horrors he'd seen. "These eyes have two parts : the piercing eye - this part of your eye allows you to decipher any and all Genjutsu, Ninjutsu and Taijutsu, and copy/memorize them to the smallest detail almost instantaneously. It even also allows you to predict an enemy's moves before he himself knows what he is going to do."

 _'Wha!~ That's how I was able to see the kunai!'_

"Genjutsu, or any illusions/deceptions are almost useless against a wielder of the Sharingan since it can see an opponent's chakra, and dispel them almost instantly. The second part of the eye is the hypnotic eye - this is what allows the wielder of the Sharingan to cast Genjutsu just through eye contact with his opponents. It is said that the battle is almost over as soon as an enemy gazes into the eyes of a trained Sharingan wielder. The Sharingan is believed to be this village's most feared blood limit, rivaled only by the might of the bloodline of our very own First Hokage." even Kakashi was amazed at the amount of knowledge and insight Hiruzen had on the Sharingan for someone who neither belonged to the clan nor possess it.

"How do I use this Sharingan?" Naruto asked.

Hiruzen tapped his forehead playfully, "You just channel some chakra to the back of your eyes, go ahead, try it." he urged. Naruto did as he was told and suddenly, his vision turned sharper than ever and he could even see faint blue chakra lines in Hiruzen and Kakashi. But a big blue dot in Kakashi's left eye was glaring at him like a beacon. Kakashi, seeing his awed look, eye smiled knowingly. Naruto left it alone since he didn't want to pry into matters that didn't bother him. Hiruzen handed him a mirror to see his blood red eyes with two tomoes circling in right eye and one in his left. Naruto pumped up chakra to his eyes and they circled even faster, so he cut off his flow and did it again, before repeating it several times.

"Cool!" he whispered, amazed.

Both adults chuckled, and Naruto had the decency to look a bit sheepish, "What are these marks in my eyes?" he asked.

"Those marks, Naruto," Kakashi started since it was his area of expertise now. "…are tomoes. Eyes possessing the Sharingan evolve with time, and the tomoe marks increase in number with each evolution. Three means complete maturity of the eyes." he explained.

Naruto nodded and cut off his chakra to deactivate the Sharingan, immediately falling face first into Hiruzen's chest, feeling lightheaded, "Naruto you must not use these eyes in front of anyone. We don't want people knowing who your parents are just yet. You can reveal it when you know everything or are in a very dangerous situation where you must require to use these eyes. Until then, please keep them a secret, or I can seal them up if you like?" he suggested.

Naruto shook his head, trembling, "N-No, I'll keep them a secret, I don't want you to seal them in case I ever need to use them." he whimpered, scared.

Hiruzen nodded, rubbing his arm soothingly, "Alright, Naruto-kun, then you will have to go to the Academy the day after tomorrow. I'll notify them of your absence due to medical problems, now rest, alright?" Hiruzen murmured and laid Naruto to bed, tucking him in. He got up to leave the room along with Kakashi and looked behind him to see Naruto already having dozed off from exhaustion.

"Why didn't you put the seal on him, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi whispered. "It would have been much safer to keep it a secret."

"I won't force him into anything, Kakashi." Hiruzen answered curtly. "Those abilities of his eyes give him the reassurance he needs of something to fall back on if he ever finds himself in a dire situation. If they make him feel safe, then I have no right to seal them, and he is a smart enough boy to keep them a secret if he so desires." he answered offhandedly.

Kakashi nodded, and said nothing else.

Naruto snored peacefully that night even after all that had happened to him that night, knowing that his father loved him very much. His father wasn't just watching him from the heavens, he was seeing the world through his eyes - Naruto had his daddy's eyes. The fact that he had a loving father warmed his heart to no end, he wasn't some thrown trash, he had actually been wanted and loved at one point. Even the old man knew him, and would tell him about his dad when he was ready to know, he trusted him that much.

Naruto understood that he had promised to keep it a secret for his father, and damn was he was willing to keep it. He also felt safe with the fact that he had his new eyes to fall back on in case something like this happened ever again. He couldn't wait to join the Academy to become strong enough to protect himself, and all those precious to him, as few and far as they might be. He'd show his dad the world through his eyes and make him proud and maybe, just maybe, someone would like to be his friend tomorrow.

That last part made his face plaster a stupid smile all through the night.

* * *

 **~TBC~**


	5. Chapter 5

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

* * *

 **Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

 **(Timeskip - Two Days)**

* * *

 **Konoha Ninja Academy**

* * *

Soft footsteps traversed through the corridors of the Academy with admission papers in hand while blue eyes danced around the walls, door to door, in search of the designated classroom inscribed on his form. Naruto came up to the door of the classroom he was assigned to, and quickly realized that he was barely on time upon hearing the teacher already enunciating the roll calls. So, he slid the door open, entered, and closed it behind him with a gentle click. His teacher, a man with a pineapple shaped haircut vividly complimented with a wild looking scar running horizontally across his nose, looked at him gruffly, and his clothes were standard chunin affair too, nothing exciting as far as Naruto was concerned.

Though, Naruto did get a little anxious with all the curious stares his untimely presence was garnering, since, upon getting himself identified, most of them were intensifying their curiosity into outright glares. Naruto's heart fell when even his teacher looked away from him with a disgusted snort, and he quickly had to duck his head down when he handed over the papers to his teacher in order to avoid making eye contact with the man, or risk making his situation turn even worse. Iruka snatched the papers off of Naruto's palms, and scanned the forms over with critical eyes, hoping beyond hopes that there had been some sort of mistake in paperwork, and that the Hokage had not allowed the Kyūbi of all things to join his class.

"Alright class," Iruka sighed in defeat. There was no mistake, "There is a new student joining us from today. Please introduce yourself to the class," he commanded him in an even voice.

Naruto nodded, still content with digging his toe in the ground and fidgeting, "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. It's a pleasure to meet you all." he bowed politely near the end, and unbeknownst to him, most of the class wasn't even listening to him except for a select few who were obliviously unbiased/uncaring towards him. His teacher identified himself as Umino Iruka, and told him to take a seat. Naruto walked up the stairs, smiling, but his smile fell when most of the students covered up the free seats beside them, and he eventually ended up stranded in a marooned corner of the classroom, right beside the window - all alone.

The hostile behavior of his fellow students genuinely saddened him, and Naruto eventually came to the conclusion that he won't be able to make friends with anyone, anytime soon. Iruka-sensei soon began vocalizing the roll calls again, and Naruto kept watching his classroom fill up with several other children from many of the prominent clans in the village.

The blonde boy kept his cool, acutely seeing everyone in his class, and objectively noticing their attitudes while his eyes scanned them over critically. The pondering once-over of his acquaintances stopped though when Iruka-sensei called the name Uchiha Satsuki, and nearly everyone along with him turned their eyes to her.

 ** _She was_ _probably_ _the prettiest girl_ _that_ _Naruto_ _had ever seen._**

Her voice was as soft and kind as her face, and so was her smile. Moreover, she genuinely seemed to ignore all the stares pointed at her, and proclaimed her attendance politely. But Naruto kept looking at her even when the rest turned to their own devices, absolutely smitten by the feeling of camaraderie bubbling up in his chest. She was making a presence that the blonde just couldn't manage to shake off, and the fact that they had something in common gave him hope.

Satsuki, meanwhile, wore a blue crop top coupled with a white skirt, and blue shinobi sandals. Her hair - long, black and shiny - were tied up in a high ponytail with a matching blue ribbon, and the only stain her porcelain white skin seemed to exhibit was a faint coloring to her cheeks. The most striking feature she had, however, had to be her deep onyx eyes. Naruto knew now that she was from the Uchiha clan, and that she too might have the same 'special' eyes as him, if what Hiruzen had told him was, indeed, right.

As such, they had something in common, which meant he had something to talk to her about!

Iruka excused himself for a moment and stepped outside the class to submit his attendance register in the staff room, and nearly everyone in his class shot themselves at Satsuki, trying to make her talk to them and get her to be their friend. Naruto wanted to go and talk to her pretty boastfully as well, since she seemed like a genuinely nice and friendly girl, but he knew that she wouldn't even want to see his face, let alone make friends with him - if the earlier reaction other students had exhibited to his presence were anything to go by, that is.

Naruto could interpret the reason for Satsuki's popularity pretty easily as well - she was the younger daughter to the main family of the Uchiha clan; essentially a princess to the entirety of the Fire nation. It was only natural for all common folk to flock near her. Not like it mattered to him any. She could be pretty and popular for all he cared. Naruto couldn't care less. He didn't. Like, at all. He was perfectly fine. Even if she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen...

"Grrr…" Naruto grumbled to himself, and tried to clear his mind by gazing out the window. He never even saw her walk up to him, not even when she took an empty seat besides him, or the annoyed look she had plastered on her nose seeing his stupidly oblivious face.

"Uchiha Satsuki," she finally caved and called for his attention.

"Uh," Naruto faltered, stunned that the most popular girl in his class, and possibly the entire Academy had made first contact with him. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto," he greeted cautiously. Satsuki looked at him calculatingly, as if trying to figure him out like a puzzle.

She tucked a loose lock of hair behind her ear after a few moments, eyes shying away from him, "You were staring pretty intently at me before," she admitted softly, her cheeks coloring. Naruto's eyes widened considerably, and he frantically waved his hands in self-defense.

"It's not like that," he rationalized. "I just heard that you were an Uchiha and all,"

Naruto's voice trailed off when Satsuki's eyes narrowed in dangerously on him, "So?" she asked.

"So, uh," Naruto gulped, confused by her rising temper, "I was just wondering…"

"What?!" Satsuki demanded testily. _"Is he one of those gold diggers Itachi told me about too…?!"_ she wondered.

"Uh," Naruto hesitated, and motioned for her to lean a bit closer. Satsuki looked at him oddly, but did as he told and gave him her ear, "Do you have the Sharingan?" he asked curiously.

Satsuki turned to face him and blinked, "What?"

"You know," Naruto stressed seriously, "The blood red eyes, black tomoes…"

Satsuki flushed, "I know what it is!"

"Then, do you-"

"No," Satsuki interjected, annoyed, "It only awakens in a select few, and way ahead in life."

' _Except for a select few,_ ' was what she didn't want to admit.

"Aw." Naruto pouted, his face marring his disappointment. Satsuki frowned, "That sucks…" he sighed warily. Naruto plopped his cheek in his palm, and started whistling away at the birds perched outside his window. They seemed to respond back to him as well.

Satsuki giggled, "You're weird!" she chortled cutely.

Satsuki could see that he wasn't like the others in her class, and honestly didn't care for her clan name or for her status. His intense staring had surprised her at first, even forced her to blush since no one had ever looked at her so intently before. She had never seen anyone look so absorbed in something other than her brother, Itachi. This idiot even had that same look in his eyes like her Nii-san, as if he was trying to piece something together that the rest of the world just couldn't see - and that made him ludicrously cool in her books.

"Uchiha Satsuki," she properly introduced herself. Again. "Pleasure to meet you,"

She held out her hand for him to take, and Naruto shook it with a foxy grin that made her smile, "You introduced yourself earlier. But, whatever," he chuckled, "Wanna be friends?!" Naruto offered excitedly.

It was worth a shot!

Satsuki smiled ear to ear, "Sure!" she mirrored his grin.

Unbeknownst to the bickering couple sitting in the corner, their entire class looked scandalized. Every last one of them had been trying as they might to befriend Satsuki over the past couple of days, and had gotten ignored, berated - peskier ones were even beaten to the ground by said Uchiha, and now, she had just gone up the stairs herself and accepted _Naruto's offer for friendship_ with a smile?!

Ridiculous!

Haruno Sakura was the first one to break out of her stupor and voice her thoughts, "Hey, Satsuki-chan! What are you doing with him?!" her loud voice nauseated Satsuki, "My mom says he is a bad influence on us! You shouldn't stay around him for too long! You might even catch something," she laughed near the end, and most of the students nodded their heads agreements. Naruto ducked his head down dolefully, knowing full well that Satsuki too would just leave him be, and realize that this friendship wasn't worth the trouble his presence came bundled with.

"Yeah!" another one added salt to his already wounded self-dignity, "My mom said that he is just a worthless, clan-less loser. He's such a loser, that even his own parents abandoned him at birth! I mean, how lame is that?! An heiress like yourself shouldn't be concerned with the likes of him," the boy in question had two red tattoos on his cheek. His feral looks flared arrogantly, and he grinned widely to display his fangs as an act of poorly sought intimidation. Naruto said nothing, but his fists clenched tightly on his lap. It wasn't like he hadn't heard those things before, more or less, or that they didn't make him angry. It was just that, picking fights with everyone who crossed his path would get him nowhere.

He would be fighting them all day.

They weren't worth it, he told himself.

Satsuki didn't share the same humility he did though, "Well," she snapped. "At least he isn't an annoying idiot like you are! And he doesn't want to be friends with me just for my clan status, forehead, dog breath!" she bit right back, and the whole class laughed at their implied names. Naruto sat, doe-eyed. Satsuki had defended him! And not belittled him like everyone else! Iruka took it as his queue to enter the class, and everyone was forced to go back to their seats. Naruto, though, was smiling throughout the lectures for the entire day.

His heart warmed up in realization that there was at least someone who didn't judge him.

Plus, he had a pretty female friend now!

How cool was that?!

The rest of the day went by normally without any problems, that is, until Satsuki had apologized for leaving early by saying that her brother had some private training planned for her, and Naruto, not wanting to appear extra clingy or anything, had bid his goodbyes to her and gone on home with an extra bounce to his feet. His dream had finally come to fruition, Naruto had made himself a friend!

His smile on the way back home could have lit entire cities for weeks.

* * *

 **(** **Timeskip** **-** **One Year** **)**

* * *

Naruto couldn't help but notice that everyone in the village had been a bit quiet as of late. Even Satsuki had been absent from the Academy for the entire week, and that girl resented staying home even when she was struck down with a cold or a fever. He wanted to go and check up on her, but he wasn't permitted to enter any of the village's clan compounds without prior permissions - especially since Hiruzen had warned him not to roam about the Uchiha clan compounds any more than what was absolutely necessary. His past experiences with other clan members made him put the Uchiha on the top of his 'Not to visit' list. Naruto had eventually decided that if Satsuki didn't show up at the Academy today either, then he would sneak in to the Uchiha clan compounds to go and check up on her - by hook or by crook.

Over the year, they had developed a great friendship - rivalry in Satsuki's case. Since she was at the top of the class in everything while he was just average, their rivalry was indeed a weird one. The teachers had been sabotaging Naruto's results to mold him into an average student ins favor of letting the Kyūbi get on top, and Satsuki never hung out with him after the academy was over, since her father didn't want her associating with anyone outside the clan for too long; even though the man didn't hold anything against Naruto personally.

Naruto knew there was more to it than that, even Hiruzen always dodged his questions whenever he barreled the man for the oddly intense curiosity Sarutobi seemed to have about his whereabouts whenever Naruto so much as walked the walls surrounding the Uchiha clan compounds.

Naruto had even managed to meet her brother a few times, and quickly come to realize that Itachi was apparently one of the greatest prodigies their village had ever produced - the boy's accomplishments right up there with the likes of his beloved Fourth Hokage. Itachi was drafted as the village's youngest ANBU captain, ever. He had even helped Naruto and Satsuki a couple of times with their shuriken-jutsu, and boy was he good at aiming.

Itachi had been the one to initially nudge Satsuki to forge a rivalry with Naruto. According to Itachi, she would benefit greatly in the coming years by it. And Satsuki being Satsuki, had taken to her brother's words like a dry sponge did to water. The girl challenged him to to absolutely everything they did, she even challenged Naruto to race eating times on occasions! Naruto lost nearly every one of those matches except when the competition came down to eating ramen - Satsuki was quite a glutton when it came to anything spicy, the blonde had come to realize; Naruto, though, was confident enough to beat even an Akimichi if it came down to eating ramen, and so his record stood undefeated in that particular contest.

Satsuki had vowed never to treat Naruto to Ichiraku's ramen after burning through her entire month's allowance in a mere hour on the celebration of her birthday treat. Itachi didn't seem to mind if his sister spent a majority of her time with Naruto, it was enough for him that she associated with him at dinner sometimes, and that was all the elder brother ever wished for from his baby sister.

The streets today were naturally desolate since Naruto always walked early to the academy to keep himself away from the glares of the villagers, and just as usual, the boy entered the academy and went straight for his classroom to catch up on deciphering his sealing journal. Naruto walked up to the corner he always sat in, and saw Satsuki already present and accounted for, contently gazing out the window. He grinned, _she was alright_ , his heart skipped a beat and he breathed a sigh of relief.

The blonde lit up like a lamp not a second later,"Morning, Satsuki-chan!" he chirped.

She didn't reply, and just kept gazing out the window. Naruto grew confused by her ignorance, and was about to greet her again when some other children walked in. He saw all the looks of pity they were giving her, and words died down in his throat when he saw that Satsuki was trying her best to ignore them like the plague.

Naruto grew a little worried at her odd behavior, "Satsuki-chan…" he whispered.

He plucked out his journal and began to read, pretending was more like it, what, with his eyes constantly flickering sideways to look at the stone-faced girl sitting by his side.

"Hey!" one of his classmates voice drew Naruto's attention, "Did you hear what happened to her?!" one of them whispered. Usually, Naruto never paid any attention to gossip, but this time, he did.

"Not really," his accomplice replied.

"Listen," the first one gossiped excitedly, "I heard that her whole clan was wiped out, and that she is the only survivor! Isn't that horrible?!" for all the condolence he was trying to portray, the boy didn't seem the least bit remorseful to Naruto. Instead, they seemed overjoyed at the aspect of having something cool to gossip about, talk about being desperate for attention.

"That's so tragic!" his accomplice _squealed_ mournfully _._

Realization struck Naruto a moment later, and his eyes widened in horror. He turned to Satsuki with a start, who still seemed too engrossed in gazing out the window. The hand that wasn't supporting her cheek was balled up into a tight fist from hearing all the gossip. Naruto decided to say nothing, pity was the last thing she needed, and kept himself quiet. He kept his hand on her tightly wound fist, and squeezed it reassuringly, not once making eye contact with her in fear of offering her a pitying look. She seemed to have appreciated his gesture since her fist loosened up and she didn't push his hand away, and Naruto droned out his mind on sealing to pass his time.

He couldn't concentrate on it in the slightest, though.

The lectures came and went, and time kept passing by as Naruto tried in between breaks to speak to Satsuki, but she never replied to anything he said. All he managed to squeeze out from her were some huffs, snorts, and derisive grunts. As the sun dipped into the horizon, Naruto watched Satsuki walk out of the academy sadly, and went home. He couldn't even believe that the Uchiha clan, the most powerful clan of the village, was wiped out in a single night, much less Satsuki's entire family.

Plus, Satsuki was the lone survivor! Was he being insensitive in being glad for that last part? If he was, then Naruto couldn't even be sorry for it. He really was glad that Satsuki was okay. And just to himself, Naruto even knew how petty he was being in thinking that she had only one person in the entire village to rely on for now, and was feeling remorsefully happy about it.

Him.

* * *

Another week passed by, and Naruto helplessly watched Satsuki getting more and more distant by the day. He was growing increasingly worried for her well-being every passing day. Today, the Academy was off in favor for the Uchiha clan's memorial service, and Naruto was walking to Haru's shop to find an odd job to make some extra money since he knew his presence at such a high profile gathering wouldn't be much appreciated. He could, instead, work today and make some money to buy some incense and pay his condolences tomorrow, at the Nakano Shrine in the Uchiha clan compounds. When he saw Satsuki sitting on the edge of Naka river, though, his feet halted. Naruto walked on the porch and went up to her side, quietly sitting beside her. Neither of them said anything, and just sat there, gazing away at the flowing water in silence.

Naruto was the one who eventually broke the silence, "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

There was a moment of silence before Satsuki answered him, "He did it." she replied vaguely.

Naruto looked at her, confused, "Who did what, Satsuki-chan?"

Satsuki went silent for another few moments before speaking up, "Itachi," she sniffed. "He was the one who killed off our clan, and left me alive. He said that I wasn't even worth killing, and that he did it because the clan was growing weak and arrogant. That he had to test the limits of his abilities." she babbled everything out, and Naruto was aghast to realize that Itachi was capable of doing something like this. It honestly didn't make sense to him, Itachi was the strongest among his kin - and the boy knew it too.

 _Why would he test his limits on something he knew were beneath him?_

Naruto had only met the guy a couple of times, sure, but he couldn't bring himself to think that Itachi was the kind of guy who would slaughter his clan on a whim. Naruto was broken out of his thoughts though when Satsuki continued.

"He made me watch the whole massacre, again, and again, and again, for 72 hours…"

Naruto blanched visibly, "H-How?!" he couldn't help but ask.

Satsuki wiped her moist eyes, "By putting me under a genjutsu. He told me to develop my hatred equal to his, so that one day, he might be able to test his abilities against me. I-I was r-really scared of him, Naruto…" Naruto would have gone on to comfort her had she been sad or crying. But Satsuki was trembling with righteous fury, "I'll kill him." she promised in a stormy voice. "I'll kill him, I swear I'll annihilate him and avenge my clan! I swear that on my life! I'll develop my hatred to equal his, and then, I'll cut off all my ties with everyone if that's what it takes to attain power. A-And that's why, Naruto, we can't be friends anymore." she admitted, not making eye contact with him.

Naruto said nothing, just kept chucking pebbles in the river in deep thought.

"You're wrong, you know." he eventually said.

Satsuki glared at him indignantly, You think you can convince me to forget my revenge-"

Naruto cut her off, "I'm not saying to forget your clan, and your promise of avenging them." he interjected knowingly, making her blink. That was all everyone in the village was trying to convince her about the past few days, "I'm just saying, that right now, you are trying to follow the path Itachi told you to obtain that kinda power." he told her his perspective on the matter.

Satsuki looked at him, adorably confused, "Whatever do you mean?!"

Naruto sighed, deciding to elaborate his point through that thick skull of hers, "I mean, he told you to develop your hatred and gain power, right?" he asked and she nodded mutely, " _Itachi_ was the one who killed off your clan, Satsuki. Do you think he would leave you alive, _and tell you a way to gain power_ _t_ _o kill him_? I don't think I would do that if I were as smart as him, to be honest." Naruto knew that his point had been duly noted when the feisty girl by his side fell awfully silent.

Satsuki thought about it his words, deliberating her stance, "But he gained his power through hatred. By cutting all of his ties, Itachi was able to kill off our clan. If I too can attain the same power as him, I can avenge them." she argued fiercely, only to glare at Naruto's resigned sigh.

"And what difference would there be between you and him?"

Satsuki looked at him wide eyed, looking ready to breathe fire, "How dare you compare me to him?!" she hissed venomously. "Itachi killed off everyone he knew, and left me alive because I wasn't even worth killing! Do you think I am the same as him?" she asked in a warning tone, daring him to answer.

Naruto ignored her tone and answered nonetheless, "No." he shook his head. "Satsuki, you are a thousand times better than he will ever be." he gave her a kind smile, making her cheeks turn pink but she was still mad, dang it! "But I don't want you to walk down the same path as Itachi did, and then come to regret it." she opened her mouth to protest, but Naruto continued on, undeterred. "Take your revenge, sure, but do it on your own terms - not how Itachi told you to." Satsuki had no counter to any of his arguments.

Her fists clenched her shorts, "Damn it," she snarled and chucked a pebble in the river. "I hate it when you're right!"

Naruto smiled, opting to stay silent and looped his little finger with her own.

" _I'm here for you,"_ he tried to convey.

Satsuki, knowing what his subtle gesture meant, looped hers right back.

"You're right," she sighed in defeat. "I won't sever _all of_ my bonds. But I will not be held down by any excess weight either." she dared him to argue with her, but Naruto held his silence firmly. "I will kill Itachi, and then, my clan would be avenged." she promised.

Naruto smiled, knowing full well that this was the most he was going to get out of her.

"That's good," he nodded approvingly, "I'll help you gain your goal in any way I can, I promise - and I never go back on my word -ttebayo!" Naruto jabbed a proud thumb on his chest, grinning foxily.

Satsuki giggled tearfully, "Idiot," she whispered, forcing her head on his shoulder.

Naruto frowned, "I take offense to that -ttebayo!" and wrapped his arm around her shoulder to give it a rub.

"Shut up!" Satsuki's smile betrayed her words.

 _ ***GRUMBLE***_

Satsuki blushed fiercely, and shot away from Naruto as if he was some sort of disease. She shied her eyes away when Naruto chuckled at her embarrassment. She tried to glare at him, but her blush took the effect off of it, and Naruto only laughed harder.

Satsuki narrowed her eyes , "Are you making fun of me?" she murmured quietly, like a kitten trying to bare her fangs at her mother.

Naruto kept a firm hand on her head and gave it a rub, "I'll never make fun of you."

If possible, Satsuki blushed and glared even harder, "B-But w-why DAMN IT! SHUT UP!" she slapped his hand away, and looked away to hide her reddened face from him.

Her flustered retort only made Naruto shake his head in amusement, and get up, "Come on," he motioned for her to follow his lead. "Let's go back to my apartment. I'll cook something up for you there. I'm a bit hungry myself." he lied to save her some face, and didn't even have to look back to know that she was obediently following him.

Satsuki, unbeknownst to Naruto, kept holding his little finger in a firm loop while he pulled her along. Try as she might, the hotness in Satsuki's ear tips just wouldn't die down. Maybe she was coming down with something…?

 _Who knew…?~_ ❤

* * *

Naruto didn't need to look back if Satsuki was happy following him, sure, but she had yet to protest to his hold on her little finger. He had kept his hold light, freeing her to pull away if she so desired, but she hadn't, and Naruto couldn't be happier by it. The pair walked into the residential shinobi district, and onward to Naruto's apartment complex in complete silence. Naruto walked Satsuki into his apartment, and it would be a lie to say that the girl wasn't surprised at the size and opulence his apartment seemed to exhibit. Though that nudged a small little doubt in her mind as well.

"I thought you were an orphan, and didn't have any parents to inherit off of." Satsuki asked him with the bluntness of a hammer, and Naruto might have taken offense to anyone else, but Satsuki was…well Satsuki. "How do you even afford this place?" she asked, shamelessly hopping onto the granite counter of the kitchen while Naruto began gathering his cooking supplies.

"I don't," Naruto agreed, putting some onions on the chopping board. "And I don't pay for anything around here. The old man gave it to me, and I don't even have to pay for utilities. It's all taken care of," he clarified, as he took out and started sauteing some raw meat and vegetables in a pan.

Satsuki hummed in curiosity, flopping her legs back and forth, "Who's the old man?" she asked, confused, while silently watching him cut everything up and prepare their lunch.

"The Hokage." Naruto replied offhandedly.

Satsuki eyed him in disbelief, "You call the Hokage, old man?!" her tone mirrored her apprehension. Naruto, though, chuckled at her disbelieving tone and reaction. It was only natural to him. He knew it was strange for someone like him to know someone of Hiruzen's stature so closely.

"Yeah," Naruto murmured fondly. "I've known him ever since I was a baby. He's just always been there for me -ttebayo! And I have always called him that, he isn't really stuck up for formalities that way." Satsuki bit her tongue, and kept her retort to herself _for now_.

" _It didn't keep him from putting my father in place whenever he called him, Sarutobi!"_ was what she couldn't say right now without choking on her words from those memories.

"Hey," Satsuki wiped the moistness off her eyes, "Put some tomatoes in there, alright?"

Naruto turned to her with a raised eyebrow, apparently amused.

Satsuki glared at him hotly, "What?!" she snapped, annoyed.

"Tomatoes? Seriously?!" Naruto had to bite his knuckle to keep himself composed. "And you say my obsession with Ichiraku's pork cutlet bowl is strange -ttebayo!" he heaved in laughs.

Satsuki glared at his back, but kept herself from throwing an egg at the back of his head when Naruto took out some tomatoes, and obediently tossed them in the frying pan.

"Bastard," Satsuki muttered in a low voice.

Naruto heard it clearly though, "Bitch," he replied coolly. Satsuki kept trying to dig holes in the back of head with her eyes afterwards, maybe the Sharingan could do that? Who knew. After a few moments, unbeknownst to one another, both of them smiled unanimously and bit back on some silent chuckles for their earlier exchange.

Naruto served lunch on the counter, and both of them ignored any formalities in favor of digging in. Naruto watched her eat, even more entertained when Satsuki ripped apart the tomatoes and squished them in her mouth as best as she possibly could. Satsuki kept glaring at him the whole time, while Naruto just kept eating his own omelet with a smile on his face. Satsuki kept humming on his counter afterwards, while Naruto finished the dishes.

Trying to make small talk, "You liked the food, huh?!" Naruto asked with a playful wiggle to his eyebrows.

Satsuki rolled her eyes condescendingly, "Tomatoes always taste great," she retorted sarcastically. Naruto kept a fist to his chest, acting wounded. Satsuki chucked an apple to his face, which, surprisingly, hit him square in the face. Naruto doubled over in pain, holding his nose, and Satsuki's eyes widened when she saw some red liquid leak out from his hands.

She instinctively rushed near him, worried, "Oi!" Satsuki placed a hand on his back.

" **KYA!~"**

Completely out of character, Satsuki squealed in glee when Naruto nudged her back on the floor, and toppled over her with a laugh. He cheekily held up the squished remains of her beloved tomato with a grin, "Gotcha!" Naruto chuckled blithely. His laughs ceased when his ears caught a sniffle, and he looked down to see Satsuki covering her eyes with her arms to try, and hide her tears from him in vain.

"Satsuki," Naruto sighed, knowing full well her tears weren't from the pain of falling down, or for his prank. He didn't even know how to comfort her right now, having no idea what losing something as precious as family meant; Naruto didn't even know what having a family felt like in the first place.

Doing the thing that Hiruzen always used to do whenever he wanted to cry, Naruto cradled the small of her back with one palm and the back of her head with another. He gently pulled Satsuki's face closer to his neck, and started rubbing her back in soothing circles.

There was no need for words or condolences, Naruto knew that. He knew that it would be lying if he told her that everything would be alright. It wasn't alright. Her family, and loved ones were gone. Dead. They were never coming back. There was no turning back time.

"I'm sorry, Satsuki." Naruto apologized for his own weakness in the matter. Satsuki's soft sniffles eventually died down, and she broke off of his hold to go and wash her face. To avoid any awkwardness, Naruto went through some scrolls, and never once did he bring up the matter of vulnerability she had shown a few moments ago even in the wildest of his pranks.

Satsuki, meanwhile, was amazed that Naruto was learning the art of sealing at so young an age. Retired shinobi only ever seemed to take interest in the lost art since it required ample amounts of patience, and hard-work - traits really uncommon among children her age. But Naruto had so many scrolls on various strategies used in the previous wars, that Satsuki couldn't but feel giddy on the inside. It was a subject that lured her in pretty nicely to put it lightly, and she hadn't ever reasoned her blonde bundle of joy for one to take a liking for anything of this sort, or even the kind of house he lived in - for a boy who lived in this lavish a place, he was quite humble and simple minded if Satsuki was to be perfectly honest.

Satsuki pitied the fools who never passed him a second chance to be friends.

Their loss, her gain though.

Naruto was presently going through a new Taijutsu style that Hiruzen had been kind enough to give him, nearly two weeks prior. After the man had learnt of the fact that the instructors at the Academy were teaching him _some weird_ _stances_ _,_ Sarutobi had even told him that this style was created by his father, and was his to learn by birthright. But he had warned Naruto not to show it to the village for now, since everyone would recognize it.

Hearing this, Naruto was getting really hyped over who his father actually was. He must have been a formidable shinobi if he could create such an awesome Taijutsu style all on his own, but Naruto had promised Hiruzen to wait for the man to tell him about his parentage. And if there was one things absolute, it was that Naruto never broke his promises. Ever.

Naruto had come to realize that it was heavily based on speed and the use of Sharingan for maintaining and countering moves at such high speed. He saw he won't be able to use it anytime soon since it would take him a lot of time to get his body ready for it but saw that this style really was perfect for him.

Satsuki glanced at his scroll and saw it was a taijutsu scroll and had to admit it would be a really fearsome style if mastered. She was intrigued by it since some of it's moves looked like the Uchiha clan's Interceptor Fist that she herself used.

"Hey loser that's a good style you have got there where did you find it?" she asked as his eye twitched at being called a loser but he let it slide.

"That is the Hummingbird Style. The old man gave it to me since my father created it and he wanted me to use it as I was having trouble with the Academy style." He said and she nodded then asked a question.

"He knows who your father is?" she asked and he nodded as she looked at him curiously.

"He does, but he made a promise him not to tell me until I graduated, and was strong enough to protect myself." He answered, and she nodded, not wanting to be too prying into his life. Both kept on reading, and realized it a bit late that it was already quite late at night. Naruto made them some dinner, which apparently had some tomatoes added again the moment he turn his back on her. Satsuki, having finished her dinner, got up to leave, when Naruto spoke up.

"You can stay the night if you'd like," he offered nervously. Satsuki cocked an eyebrow, "Well I do have a few spare rooms, and the house is big enough for the two of us. It is really late, and you could spend the night here if you'd like." Naruto nervously suggested, and she stared at him blankly to get on the poor boy's nerves some more.

When Satsuki had finally had enough of her sadistic tendencies at mind-torturing Naruto, "Alright." she agreed, and smiled when he breathed a sigh of relief. The blonde showed her the biggest spare room he had to offer, and handed her some of his own night clothes which were a bit big for her, but she accepted them gratefully nonetheless.

Inwardly, Satsuki was thankful that she didn't have to return to an empty house. The walls would surely haunt her mind with the memories of a family she no longer had, but she'd be dead before she admitted something as embarrassing as this to Naruto. Satsuki took him up on the offer to use his room's shower before she went to bed. An hour over midnight, Naruto came out to drink water and walked past the door residing his overnight guest.

His ears perked up hearing soft shuffles of sheets and barely audible sniffing. He held the doorknob for a moment, contemplating if it was okay for him to invade her privacy like that, but another soft wail eventually managed to cave his heart in. He walked in as quietly as as he possibly could, and saw Satsuki whimpering in her sleep. Naruto had no idea on what he was supposed to do. Unlike Hiruzen, who was practically a grandfather to him and had cared for Naruto since he was a baby, Satsuki was Naruto's friend, and so, Naruto wasn't sure if this was within the boundaries of their friendship, but with the way she was shivering and crying, he could deduce that she was reliving the nightmare of the massacre that Itachi had forcefully planted in her subconscious.

He quietly sat down on the ground besides her bed, and started petting her head for assuring her that she wasn't alone tonight, that he was there for her. His ministrations seemed to have done the trick, since Satsuki quieted down considerably and snuggled into her comforters with a little smile. After a few moments, when his own head began to tip drowsily, Naruto removed his hand and got up to leave. Satsuki frowned in her sleep, and started trembling. Again. Naruto immediately sat down and began rubbing her head again, only to sigh when she snuggled into a deep sleep yet again.

This was going to be a long night, Naruto mused. He kept caressing her head for a couple more hours after which, the realms of unconsciousness finally claimed his soul, and he fell asleep himself; all the while, Satsuki clutched his hand to her chest like a lifeline.

* * *

Satsuki woke up to the bright rays of sunrise with a smile. This was arguably the best sleep she had slept ever since the massacre, without getting any nightmares to break her slumber. She realized she had clutched something in her sleep, and blinked when she saw that it was a hand. Her eyes followed the arm all the way up to his neck, and finally landed on Naruto. The boy sat asleep on the floor, and his head was on her bed, idly snoring away because of way she had clutched his hand. A faint smile lit up her face, she could figured out the reason for her fabulous sleep pretty well now.

"Idiot," she whispered, smiling, and shook him a little to wake the blonde up.

Said boy woke up with a crack to his sore neck, his groan making Satsuki laugh but they ceased when she gazed into his sleepy eyes looking at her in concern. "Morning, Satsuki-chan!" Naruto chirped with a rub to his eyes.

"Morning, Naruto." she greeted softly, as he got up and worked out the clacks in his stiff body. Both started getting ready for the Academy, none of them feeling the need for exchanging any words with the other. Naruto handed her some cereal, and had some himself before both started walking out of the apartment after a shower. Satsuki had to walk back towards the Uchiha complex to pick up a change of clothes from yesterday. She changed her clothes in her house while Naruto waited her outside, and both finally started walking towards the Academy in silence before she spoke.

"Thank you."

Naruto looked at her, confused as to what was she could possibly be thanking him for. "What for, Satsuki-chan?"

"For last night. For staying with me. I didn't have a single nightmare, and it was the first night I slept peacefully ever since the massacre, and it's all thanks to you, Naruto." Satsuki admitted with a smile.

Naruto mirrored her smile with one of his own, and threw his arms behind his head with a slight flush to his cheeks. "It's alright," he rubbed his nose cheekily. "You can use the spare room anytime you want, it's collecting dust anyways - and it is good to have someone in a house that big and not to be alone by myself." he slickly suggested, and Satsuki nodded in agreement. She thrust a a storage scroll in his hands, making him stagger a little from the force with which she had handed it to him.

Naruto looked between her and the scroll hesitantly, confused, "That contains a few pair of my clothes." Satsuki clarified with a huff. "If I stay there sometimes, then I want my clothes to be there. So, put them in the closet in my room, will you." she said airily with a flick to her ponytail.

Naruto sweat dropped, _"_ _She was already planning on staying there before_ _I even offered her_ _anything_ _,_ _wasn't she?_ _"_ he mused and sighed in resignation. The blonde wordlessly tucked the scroll in his bag, and Satsuki smirked seeing the baffled look on his face, already well aware as to what he was thinking.

Both entered the Academy, hand in hand, and sat in their usual corner as students started coming in and the day went on. Many students were trying to befriend Satsuki even more persistently than ever before, and she even had a fan club of her own due to her new, cold personality. Kiba Inuzuka was the most prominent and arrogant one of them all, and he honestly believed that she should hang out with him since he would help her through her problems and even get his clan to help her like his mom had told her to.

Satsuki being Satsuki, had refused his offers pretty bluntly, coldly even, and when he had asked as to why, she told him to bugger off and leave her alone. Many other civilian boys had tried their hand over the days, but were refused, or in some cases beaten out of it by Satsuki. Word soon got around that the 'Ice Princess of the Leaf' wasn't interested in taking suitors, at all. Some kids had even bleached their hair thinking she into that sort of stuff.

Needless to say, there was only one blonde idiot she tolerated around her.

* * *

 **(** **Timeskip** **-** **Five** **Y** **ears** **L** **ater** **)**

* * *

Five years had passed since the Uchiha massacre, and things had been going on pretty smoothly for our favorite blonde hero. Today was the day of the graduation exams, and Naruto started reminiscing about all that had happened over the past five years. Satsuki and he had gotten even closer than ever before, but she had become a lot colder to virtually everyone who wasn't Naruto ever since the massacre. She had the same icy attitude towards everyone, even the teachers and her psychologist, everyone except him. Now, It wasn't like things were all Gung-Ho for Naruto, since to him too, Satsuki was a bit colder than before, but she was only spending her free time with him and mostly spent her leisurely time training, and Naruto had gotten used to her new persona over the months.

Satsuki was unyielding when it came to maintaining her spot at the top of the class, and Naruto was almost certain that she was likely going to be named the rookie, as well as the kunoichi of his graduating year. Naruto was happy for her, since he was the only one who knew how hard she trained and studied to achieve it, but was saddened by the fact that she was still fixated on getting her revenge. She saw everyone except him as a burden to her, an obstacle getting in her way of obtaining revenge. She wasn't harboring any hatred or dislike towards anyone after his talk, but she didn't exactly care if someone lived or died besides him.

Satsuki had spent the entire month after that night at Naruto's apartment, and it had helped her recuperate from the events of the massacre really quickly. She had gotten adjusted to staying at her home again, after a few forceful nudges from Hiruzen, but she still dropped by occasionally to his house, unannounced, and spent the night as he had asked Hiruzen for a spare key in case she needed to stay there, and he wasn't there or awake to open the apartment for her. But she had somehow festered a new, annoying habit of scaring him by coming into his room real early in the morning to wake him up.

To anyone else, it might sound endearing, but she always came in real quiet and then yelled wake up or threw a glass of water at him. He had, many times, chased her off with a kunai in a sleepy rage but she always managed to escape him - her sadistic, evil side was the only thing about the girl that irritated Naruto to no ends.

She had beaten him constantly during their spars due to his less than desired proficiency at the Academy's style of Taijutsu. Everyone had laughed at Naruto, and aptly called him a loser, but he paid it no mind. Though, it still hurt him that he couldn't use his father's style in the Academy's spars and knock Kiba's smug face in with the fabled hummingbird Taijutsu style. He had learnt nearly all of the basic katas, and had even managed to master his Sharingan to a really high degree.

Naruto's pride and joy, however, was when he had created a jutsu that solely was based on shurikenjutsu - technique that him and Itachi had devised all those years ago. He took extra precaution not to let Satsuki ever come to know of the latter fact, lest threaten himself to be castrated at her hands. It required the user to have a great mastery over the Sharingan to even attempt it safely, since normal eyes couldn't quite see and calculate the trajectories of multiple blades being bound and simultaneously manipulated by ninja wires to wrap the opponent in a cocoon of wires and immobilize them for a nice old, killer finishing jutsu.

It wasn't like he had created it, Itachi had given him an ancient scroll from the Uchiha archives once to see if he could recreate it, and Naruto had done it - so it was his now.

It's creators had once named it the ' **Sharingan Windmill Triple Attack** **'** , and Naruto hadn't bother to think up a new name for it. Naruto's mastery mastery over seals had progressed as well, and he was proud to say that he was now a level 5 master, and nearly everyone who knew his skills as a seal master were surprised at his progress - but they were few and far between. Naruto had inherited the natural skills of sealing, and using battle seals came to him almost naturally, just like his father once had.

The Academy had become a bit rough for Naruto ever since his class had entered the third year. When the instructors started teaching them the basic chakra theory, it was alright, since he already knew those, but the chakra control part was really hard for him. They were especially made for students with Academy to Genin level reserves and his reserves were anything but that. The Academy three jutsu were even harder for him to master since they all used such minuscule amounts of chakra to perform that it was literally the case of finding a needle in hay for the blonde jinchuriki.

His endless struggles with the **Transformation** and **Substitution** had thankfully been short, it was only a matter of time before both became second nature to him **.** Naruto was able to do the **Substitution** nearly perfectly now after struggling with it for a year, and now, he didn't even have any need for pulling out hand seals to perform it. The **Transformation** , however, was a different case, since it was a type of genjutsu and he couldn't possibly have possessed the required chakra control to perform a regular **Transformation.** So, instead, one day, after getting frustrated for over two years at trying and failing to do the jutsu, Naruto had pumped up a huge amount of chakra in sheer frustration, and envisioned the transformation in his mind. Much to his and Hiruzen's shock, instead of failing, his **Transformation** had attained physical form. The old man had promptly told him that it was a new ninjutsu that he had unknowingly created, and that it wasn't a genjutsu, so it didn't dispel that easily with just a hit as was the case with the usual one.

Naruto had been ecstatic to know that he had learnt, and created a new jutsu. Due to these circumstances, even with excelling in Academics. he was hitting rock bottom of the class due to him failing the **Clone** jutsu every damn time.

Even after trying for two years, Naruto, for the life of him, couldn't get it right - and it frustrated him to no ends. In the end, he had to go see Hiruzen for help with with his problem, who finally deduced that he won't ever have the necessary chakra control required to perform the jutsu. Naruto was saddened by his answer at first, but was ecstatic when Hiruzen had told him that there were many other types of clones for him to use, and he, being the good old professor that he was, had the perfect ones for someone like him.

Hiruzen had given him a scroll containing the **Multiple** **Shadow Clone Jutsu** **-** on the condition that Naruto didn't teach it to anyone without his permission. and to burn the scroll after he had learnt it, since, apparently, it was a forbidden jutsu for some odd reason, and was sealed by it's creator - the Nidaime Hokage - in the Shodaime Hokage's Scroll of Sealing. It was only meant to be taught to those with jōnin level reserves and higher, and was a hidden, secret jutsu treasured greatly by the Hidden Leaf village.

Naruto had learnt in a day, having made some sort of an internal promise to send Hiruzen to an early grave, and had burnt the scroll in front of the old man after showing it to him in the flesh. Hiruzen, who knew how hard it was to master unlike the grinning blonde buffoon in front of him, was stunned beyond belief that he had picked up a jōnin level skill in a day - but had eventually gotten over it by consoling himself that Minato too picked up jutsus like they were nothing, so it was only natural for his son to do the same.

Naruto had gotten a hold of some expensive chakra paper with the help of Haru over the previous few days, and both were equally shocked when they found out his affinities. He, apparently, had Fire and Wind as his primary affinities.

When Haru and Naruto had first confronted Hiruzen over it, the man had, at first, chased Naruto throughout his office with a cane for some odd reason, and had told the two of them that some ninjas did, in fact, wield dual affinities at the same time; but had slickly left out the part that Naruto had gained the wind element from his father. The Namikaze clan usually had the rare wind element as their primary affinity, and fire was ever present due to their strong ties to part-Uchiha genetics.

Hiruzen had also informed him Naruto that wind was a rare element in the Land of Fire, and had given him a fire jutsu from the Sarutobi clan's vast library. Sarutobi's were, coincidentally, masters of the fire element - second only to the Uchiha in it's mastery.

Sarutobi had gotten him the ' **Fire style : Dragon Flame Jutsu** **',** a B-ranked fire jutsu that required huge amounts of chakra, or a great control over the fire element to compensate for it. Naruto was learning it, and had to admit that it was pretty hard for him due to having virtually no training in elemental manipulation beforehand, and it drained even his reserves after a couple of extended uses because of his lack of control over his fire affinity.

It wasn't even as powerful as it should have been, since Naruto had seen Hiruzen tune his flames to such an intensity that it glowed a brilliant white, unlike Naruto's dull yellow. The blonde walked into the Academy with a sigh, and trudged right into the classroom's corner on seeing Satsuki already sitting there, gazing out the window, and went up the stairs to sit beside her.

"Morning, Satsuki-chan!" Naruto chirped out excitedly for the exams.

Satsuki grunted, "Hn."

Naruto sighed. She did it with everyone besides him, and sometimes, he was included in that special list as well. Needless to say, this tick of hers annoyed him to no end. "You're a real social butterfly, you know that right?" he asked rhetorically with a roll of his eyes.

Satsuki's eyebrows knitted closer in annoyance, "Bastard,"

"Bitch," Naruto coolly replied. Satsuki glared at him, he always did this to get under her skin and then would have an innocent smile on his face to follow it - that last part annoyed her to no end.

"So you ready for the exams?" he asked ignoring her glare and she huffed and looked away.

"What's there to be ready about?" Satsuki clipped, miffed. "Even a loser like you could pass it all without any problems, that's how lame they are." she said. Naruto's eye twitched at being called a loser, but shrugged it off when he heard some students coming in, but it was followed by a loud stomping noise, as if some rampaging bulls were coming towards them. Suddenly, the door opened, and Ino and Sakura came in bickering about who won, and who would sit next to Kiba. The boy himself had an arrogant look on his face, Naruto, though, sighed when he walked up to them.

Oh, the joy, note his sarcasm.

"Hey," Kiba grinned with hands in his pockets, "Satsuki-chan, you ready for the exams? Maybe, after the exams, we could go out on a date or something and leave the loser behind. What say you?" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as Satsuki turned to look at him with a blank face. Naruto didn't even bother replying to the Inuzuka, this was usual to him now and everyone knew Kiba had the pride the size of the Hyuga - like all of them in one.

"You should be worried about the exams," Satsuki snipped. "Since dogs aren't allowed, you won't have any help today, and as for the date - no - and that answer won't change no matter how many times you ask me." she replied, the whole class followed suit and laughed at him while Kiba, and by virtue, Sakura and Ino fumed.

"Hey!" Sakura protested, "Don't say that about, Kiba-kun! He is a hundred times better than that dead-last you hang out with!" Sakura fired, and for once, Ino nodded while Kiba had a smug look on his face seeing girls come to his defense.

"Don't play hard to get, Satsuki-chan." Kiba slurred sleazily, "You know you couldn't resist me, now can you?" he asked flirtingly, humiliatingly in Satsuki's case because she sighed.

"And here I thought you at least had a brain for normal use, but I guess that the dog is the brains of the two. If you can't even understand a simple rejection, I see no hope for you, mutt." Satsuki fired the last nail in the coffin, dismissing him with a wave of her hand while everyone laughed again. Naruto snickered at the boy's misfortune, while Kiba fumed and glared at him, and was about to fire back but Iruka entered the classroom and shushed them all up.

"Alright class," he settled his register on the table. "Settle down so we can begin with the graduation exams." he announced, but no one really bothered paying attention to him. A tick mark formed on his head, and a short growl gave way to a loud, booming voice as his head grew larger to epic proportions and the man shouted.

" **I said settle down you brats** **!** **"**

* * *

 **~TBC~**


	6. Chapter 6

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

 **Konohagakure no sato**

 **Konoha Ninja Academy**

Iruka smiled as everyone settled down and gazed over all of them as he saw that this was the day they were going to show him they were ready to wear the leaf headbands. He then saw in the corner of the class and felt guilty as he saw Naruto there with a determined look on his face. He was ashamed at how he had treated the boy in the earlier days of the Academy and had all but ignored him but then saw that he wasn't the Kyuubi but he was just a victim child who was lonely and didn't have anyone to help him out. He always saw how he was alone practicing till late in the Academy fields even after everyone had gone off to home and had confronted him on why he was out so late. He had answered he didn't have anyone waiting for him at home and needed to practice to pass since he wasn't really that good and was saddened by his answer and asked that if he needed help but he politely refused saying he didn't want to keep him out too late. Iruka had told him to come to him if he had any problems and he had come to him a couple of times regarding the **Kawarimi Jutsu** and he had helped him out by giving him and teaching him the leaf balancing exercise to develop his chakra control for it and was proud that he had mastered it after a year of struggles.

He saw that he was really great at academics and that some teachers were sabotaging his results and then started grading him personally and his detailed answers sometimes surprised even him and his mind in battle strategies that he put in his answers was second only to Shikamaru he mused and that was saying something since he had the strongest mind even amongst the Nara's. He had helped him with his Academy taijutsu style a bit but saw that his body wasn't really suited to him and told him he would have to get a new style from his Jounin-sensei since the Academy didn't allow him to show any favouritism. He had told him not to worry about it and he was confused by his answer but didn't pry too much into it giving him his space. He had treated him to some Ichiraku's a couple of times and the two had bonded a little after that. Iruka saw him as a little brother and was proud of him that he got this far without anyone's help.

Naruto was sitting in his seat as Iruka started handing out the papers to everyone and Naruto breezed past them and handed the papers over to him after finishing the test as he called out everyone to the fields for the weapons accuracy tests. Everyone headed outside as Mizuki-sensei started handing out the weapons kit to everyone and Naruto frowned at the condition of his weapons. They were all blunt and worn out from use and were in no condition to be used. He asked Mizuki-sensei and Iruka-sensei if he could use his own but Mizuki told him everyone had use those weapons kit as was written in the regulations of the test and he nodded and got in line and everyone started going through the weapons accuracy tests.

Kiba went first and got 9 kunais and 10 shurikens and gave a smug look at Satsuki who didn't even spare him a glance and he went back a bit annoyed as his fan girls cheered him on. Satsuki went next and got all 10 kunai and 10 shurikens perfectly as her fanboys cheered and he smiled at her success. Everyone went Through their turns getting in between 5-8 shurikens and kunais and finally Naruto's turn came. He stood there and threw all of them at once as all of them struck dead centre but a few of them bounced off the target due to being too blunt even with force with which he threw them at. Mizuki smirked and recorded his score of 5 shurikens and 6 kunais as he barely passed the mark of the test and walked back.

"Ha look at that dead last don't even know how to aim now do you why do you even bother just give it up and quit being a ninja. Your failures might even rub off on Satsuki-chan." Said Kiba smugly as everyone laughed and Sakura and Ino even added their own comments to it. He just looked down as tears came to his eyes but he held them back. Satsuki though frowned at his result, she knew he never missed and his aim was almost as immaculate or even better than Itachi's was, he himself had praised him. She couldn't believe he would miss so many targets at once. She heard everyone's comments and scowled at seeing his eyes watering and that he was holding back his tears and hiding them as he was looking down and she walked up to him.

"Hey idiot, what the hell was that you never miss, then how did you mess up so many targets at once?" she asked and he looked at her.

"My weapons were blunt see the marks on the targets, they bounced off I aimed them right it wasn't my fault that they didn't have any spare regulations weapons kit for me to use." He answered as she narrowed her eyes at the target and saw the marks that he had indeed hit them all perfectly and smirked.

"Well then loser don't hear those idiots you know you did it perfectly right and you passed that's all that matters." She said coolly and he smiled as she walked back to her previous position. At least she didn't laugh at him he mused and all the previous comments were forgotten by him as they moved onto the taijutsu tests. Again Mizuki was the one testing them and Iruka was standing to score their tests. They had to hold their own for five minutes and show the required stances of the Academy style and couldn't use any other style as it would be discrimination to the civilian children. Everyone went in and most of the civilian children especially the girls weren't able to get passing marks in the test. Kiba and Satsuki even went past the five minute marks and earned extra credit for them. Suddenly Iruka called his name and he stepped into the ring and Mizuki had an unusual smirk on his face as Naruto felt something was going to happen. He went through the basic stances and Mizuki was amazed that he learnt some correct stances. Iruka had helped him improve his basic stances and was now smiling as he recorded his scores and saw he had already gained enough to pass.

Just as the four-minute mark crossed Mizuki grew furious that the demon brat was holding his own so well and decided to go all out as he now went through chunin level speeds and punched him in the ribs and then grabbed his shoulders and ran his knee in his solar plexus as Naruto doubled over in pain and coughed not expecting an attack like that.

"That's enough Mizuki you were supposed to use mid-genin speeds not go all out against an Academy student. Naruto passes." He said as Mizuki was furious.

"But he didn't go through the required 5-minute mark you can't pass him." He said as Iruka scowled at him.

"Yes but you broke the set rules of engagement so Naruto passes by default. I'll report this to the Hokage too." He said and picked up Naruto and checked over him as Mizuki fumed while the students looked on confused by the turn of events.

Next they had to show the Academy three ninjutsu and then they were allotted their headbands as everyone went in one by one. Everyone went in and came out with their headbands as Naruto was nervous due to his handicap of the **Clone Jutsu.** Satsuki went in and came out with her headband shining on her neck and smirked at him.

"Don't screw up loser." She said as he smiled.

"Just you wait I'll be out with that headband in no time." He said and walked into the room where Iruka and Mizuki were sitting with some headbands at the table and he stood in front of them.

"Alright Naruto please perform the basic three Academy Jutsu." Said Iruka and he nodded as he transformed into Iruka without any hand seals and then substituted with a chair and that too seal less.

"Very good Naruto you did them without hand seals a perfect score. Now please do the **Clone Jutsu**." He said and Naruto looked down as Mizuki smirked the demon couldn't make a damn clone to save his life he mused and was now getting ready to initiate his plan.

"Umm Iruka-sensei I can't do a **Clone Jutsu** can I show you any other thing?" he asked and Iruka frowned.

"I'm sorry Naruto but the **Clone Jutsu** half the marks of the test. If you have a jutsu that is really high ranked and can impress me to give you extra credit, then you can pass. Otherwise you'll fail Naruto." He said regretfully as Naruto smiled and both teachers grew confused.

" **Ninja Art : Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu"** he said and made a cross hand seal as four solid clones sat beside him as both teachers had their jaws dropped at him using a Jounin level forbidden jutsu so casually. After a moment Iruka grinned.

"Well Naruto I guess that is as good as it gets for extra credit you pass. Please take your headband and be at the classroom at nine one week from now for team placements. Congratulations." He said as Naruto grinned foxily and picked up his headband and walked out. He stepped out of the Academy and tied his forehead protector as it shined on his forehead. He looked around and saw Satsuki there standing surrounded by fanboys leaning against a tree and had an annoyed look on her face. She saw him as he pointed to his forehead protector and both smirked as she jumped through the rooftops towards the Uchiha compounds and he walked towards Haru's weapons shop to show him the headband and then visit Ichiraku's to tell them too. He thought about going to the old man but then thought he had to go tomorrow to meet him for his Ninja ID registration so why disturb him today he mused and walked towards the weapons shop. He entered the weapons shop as Haru looked up from the newspaper he was reading and smiled as Naruto pointed a thumb on his headband.

"I became a ninja ojii-san. How does it look?" he asked grinning and Haru too grinned as he saw the child he too saw as his nephew become a shinobi.

"Congratulations squirt. So now you are a big bad shinobi eh?" he asked as Naruto looked down embarrassed at his teasing and he chuckled.

"Come on then let's get you out of those civilian clothes and get you the proper equipment for a shinobi to suit that headband of yours." He said and Naruto smiled as he walked back to his personal back room and Haru handed him a packed parcel with ribbons as he looked at him questionably.

"I already had some clothes measured up and custom made for you. Go on and try them I want to see how you look in them." He said and Naruto smiled with tears in his eyes and hugged him. He went into the changing room and came out fitted with his new clothes. He used to wear simple t-shirts with pants and sandals before because he didn't want to waste money on the equipment he didn't need yet. He came out as Haru dropped the glass of water he was drinking and was wide eyed as he saw an image of his old friend Minato standing behind his son with a hand over his shoulder grinning and couldn't help but notice how much he resembled him. There stood Naruto wearing a grey cut sleeves shirt and blue ANBU style pants with blue shinobi sandals the same colour as his headband with blue fingerless gloves with metal back plates on the back of them and was wearing white medic nin bandages on his forearms and his calf's up to his ankles. To top it off he was wearing a custom made white jacket ending right before his blue hip pouch that was camouflaged and bended with his pants completely. But the most striking feature were the blue flames at the bottom of the jacket and the two small Namikaze clan symbols on both sides of his high collars.

A tear escaped his eye as he remembered his old friend and how he had given him the design of the jacket for when his son graduated and had it custom made all those years ago to give it to him as a present. It was a special order from Tetsu no Kuni and was able to withstand almost anything except piercing blows and thought how proud he would be seeing his son from above. Naruto grew nervous seeing his tear and looked over at himself before asking him nervously.

"Umm ojii-san does it look bad?" he asked as Haru broke of his thoughts and wiped his eyes as he smiled.

"Are you kidding me squirt girls are going to fall at your feet seeing you in that. You look so great." He said and Naruto blushed at his answer as an image of Satsuki praising him came to his head before he shook his head clearing it off these thoughts. Haru chuckled seeing his embarrassment and decided to tease him.

"So you already thinking of a girl huh? Let me guess it isn't that Ice Uchiha princess you hang out with is it?" he asked and laughed holding his stomach as Naruto turned as red as a tomato before stuttering out a no. He bid him goodbye and went to Ichiraku's and sat on the stool as Ayame came out and smiled happily seeing his new clothes and as soon as she his headband she glomped his head in her chest as he squirmed around for air.

"Tou-san look Naruto-kun passed." She said as Teuchi came out and laughed at seeing his condition.

"Ayame you might want to let him go or your little brother may not be around much more." He said chuckling as Ayame jumped back and said sorry while Naruto took deep breaths and smiled at his older sister. Just as he was about to order a super deluxe pork cutlet bowl was put in front of him by Teuchi who grinned.

"Come on eat up my boy today it's on the house." He said and Naruto grinned foxily and dug in.

 **Meanwhile at the Hokage Office**

Hiruzen was there as various Jounins were there all wanting to request or see which teams they were assigned. Suddenly Kakashi came in as the whole room turned deathly quiet and a crow croaked from the outside while Kakashi gazed at them curiously.

"What?" he asked lazily as Asuma answered.

"You're on time." He said and everyone nodded in unison and he sweat dropped. He didn't want to be late and then not have the students he wanted.

"Well you see a black cat took my book and ran away, I chased it and it so happened to stop in front of the office." He said with an eye smile as everyone face faulted and Hiruzen chuckled.

"Alright that's enough as you all know we are here for genin cell placements. Any particular requests and I will need reasons for teams that I find strange." He said and they all nodded.

"I want the Ino-Shika-Cho trio." Said Asuma and Hiruzen nodded it would be a formidable team if they became anything like their predecessors.

"I request Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka and Shino Aburame for a tracking and recon team." Said Kurenai and he nodded another great pairing. But everyone was surprised as Kakashi came forward willingly to request a team.

"I request Satsuki Uchiha, Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki." He said as everyone looked at him shocked that he wanted the dead last and demon brat on his team. Hiruzen asked him to elaborate.

"Satsuki Uchiha will get help from me as the last Sharingan user in the village, Sakura Haruno will be a great medic nin with her near perfect chakra control and as for Naruto I have my reasons. I'll create a heavy assault team with them." He said and Hiruzen nodded knowing all the reasons for picking Naruto.

"Kakashi why would you want that dead last to be on your team specifically. I have seen his records he isn't really that great at anything." She said as everyone agreed most of them not wanting the Uchiha princess with the demon brat.

"Looks and records do not tell everything about a shinobi Kurenai. I have my reasons for choosing him you'll see." He said cryptically and everyone just nodded trusting him and Hiruzen smiled as the day went on with various genin cells being decided.

 **The next day**

Naruto was jumping towards the rooftops to ignore the stares he got from the villagers and towards the Hokage tower with his complete documents for his Ninja ID registration. He walked in to the Hokage office and saw the old man signing various ID forms that were pending.

"Hey old man." He said happily.

"Hello Naru…" he trailed off seeing his new outfit and his pipe dropped from his mouth at seeing the resemblance he had with his father.

" _Oh my god Minato he looks just like you and even wears the jacket that you once showed me you ordered for him. Haru must have given it to him. Oh the villagers are so blinded by their hatred that they can't even see the resemblance he shares with you."_ He thought.

"Why does everyone see me like this ever since I changed my clothes?" he asked as Hiruzen smiled.

"You resemble someone so much that I think I would have to complete my promise very soon to him." He said cryptically and his eyes widened as he understood the meaning of his statement and tears came up in his eyes.

"Really?" he whispered out and Hiruzen smiled and nodded.

"Indeed now enough of the sentimental stuff come on hand me your documents and then I could complete your registration." He said as Naruto wiped his eyes and handed him the documents as he looked them over and then stamped them and handed him his ID card and both sat there as Naruto told him of how his Fire jutsu was coming along when suddenly a child came in with a wooden shuriken and tripped over his scarf and Hiruzen sighed.

"You tripped me didn't you?" he said pointing a finger at him. He stared at him blankly before replying.

"Are you for real. You tripped over your own scarf you idiot." He said as the boy ran at him and he picked him up by his collar as he squirmed around.

"Hey let me go I'm the grandson of the Third Hokage you don't know who you're messing with." He said as Naruto turned his gaze at Hiruzen who face palmed and he sighed. The boy smirked thinking now he would be scared when he was suddenly turned upside down as Naruto held him by his left foot and waved him around like a pendulum.

"I don't care if he's your grandmother you get that squirt." He said as Ebisu came in and saw the situation.

"Hey put him down you filthy brat. He's the honourable grandson you damn brat." He said as Naruto left his foot and he fell down on his head as he passed by him.

"Yeah yeah I'm too want to go home and rest I'll see you later old man." He said as he walked out and Hiruzen nodded. He knew Naruto didn't care much for titles and respected only those who he saw as worthy to be respected. Konohamaru stared at the door where he went out of and turned to Hiruzen.

"Hey who was he grandpa?" he asked.

"That was Naruto Uzumaki little Konohamaru." He answered and he nodded.

"Is he strong?" he asked and Hiruzen smiled looks like Naruto had found an admirer.

"Indeed he is. He is probably one of the best out of the genin that graduated this year." He said and Konohamaru ran out in the direction where Naruto went and Ebisu chased him and Hiruzen smiled. Things were looking good.

 **One Week Later**

Naruto woke up with a smile as sunrays hit his face as he remembered today were the team placements. He opened his eyes as he saw a pair of onyx black eyes staring back at him. He blinked and those eyes too blinked as he came to his senses.

"Kyaaaa…." He shouted and fell off his bed on his head as Satsuki stood there on the other side of the bed with an amused smirk on her face.

"Damn you Satsuki-Chan how many times have I told you not to do that it hurts more when you fall on your head in half sleep." He said rubbing his head.

"Really now I wouldn't know that now would I?" she asked rhetorically as his eye twitched and he calmed himself down.

"So when did you come here?" he asked.

"Last night." She replied casually as he sighed. She could at least inform him when she came.

"So what does the princess want this bright morning to awake me from my slumber in such a great way?" he asked sarcastically.

"I am hungry and want to eat pancakes. I don't want to go out and eat and you make nice pancakes. Now get to it." She said coolly and he sweat dropped.

"You know you should ask someone politely when you ask them for something especially in the morning." He said and she started walking out.

"I know." She said coolly walking out as his eyebrow twitched dangerously at her nonchalant reply before he sighed and walked into the kitchen and started preparing the batter and cooked up the pancakes. He put the blueberry syrup on her pancakes and topped it off with butter as she dug in and he watched with a smile before pouring some maple syrup over his own pancakes and both ate in comfortable silence.

Both went into their rooms after a shower and changed into their new shinobi attires. Both walked out of their rooms as Naruto looked at her new clothes and had a bright red blush on his face. She was wearing a white battle kimono shirt that was opened to give it a deep neck look and the bandages under the shirt were visible accentuating her well-endowed breasts and had very loose sleeves and fitting for free movement and was wearing a blue skirt that came up to her knees and was cut from both sides and showed the fishnet leggings underneath and wore blue shinobi sandals and had her headband around her neck. Her hair was done in a high ponytail and were flowing wildly like usual as he knew she didn't like wasting her time combing it and frankly he saw no need since they were so silky and were tied up by a white ribbon made of medic-nin bandages. She never wore any make up and he knew she didn't need to wear even lipstick as he liked her small pink lips just as they were and her skin was already perfect in his opinion. (See the story icon for an idea on her looks that she has in this story).

Satsuki too had a faint pink blush on her cheeks as this was the first time she had seen his new shinobi outfit. She had to admit he looked handsome with those new clothes and the spiky unruly hair that were coming just over his cerulean blue eyes gave him a wild look. Both broke away their gazes at the same time and looked away as they realized they had been staring.

"Y-You look great in your knew outfit Satsuki-chan." He said and her blush turned a rosy pink as she replied.

"Yeah you don't look bad yourself idiot." She said as he knew it was the closest to a compliment he'd get from her and nodded.

"Let's go we don't want to be late." He said and she nodded as both walked out and started jumping through rooftops and barely made it in time as Naruto slid the door open and the whole class turned silent at seeing them. Many of the fanboys were drooling at the sight of Satsuki and many girls had blushes seeing Naruto in his new attire.

"Hey dobe what do you think wearing new clothes will make you a better shinobi?" asked Kiba smugly.

"Well I don't take any fashion sense or shinobi training from mutts." He replied as everyone laughed and Kiba fumed. Iruka entered the class as everyone took their seats and he started going through a lecture and then announced the team assignments. He announced teams one through six and then moved on.

"Team seven Naruto Uzumaki, Satsuki Uchiha and Sakura Haruno under Kakashi Hatake." He said as Sakura and Kiba protested.

"Hey why does the dobe get to be with Satsuki-chan. She should be with someone worth her time like me." He shouted.

"Yeah I want to be with Kiba-kun not some clan less loser like this dead last." Screeched the pink haired banshee.

"The teams have been assigned by the Hokage if you want then take it up with him." Replied Iruka as both sat down grumbling and he continued with the assignments. Naruto smiled at being paired up with Satsuki and could at least tolerate the pink banshee with her as his teammate. Satsuki Too had a smirk on her face at being paired up with him and not anyone annoying like the other fanboys in her class. After calling out the team assignments Iruka walked out as one by one everyone moved out with their Jounin-sensei and they were left alone. Naruto took out a book on sealing and kept reading while Sakura was pesturing Satsuki with some silly girl stuff and she was ignoring her completely. This was the scene Kakashi walked into.

"My first impression of you guys is…. You guys are really boring. Meet me on the roof." He said and puffed out in smoke. They walked up the stairs and sat down as Kakashi eye smiled at them.

"Well let's introduce ourselves first alright." He said happily and in a lazy voice.

"Sensei why don't you go first and show us how it's done?" said Sakura and he sweat dropped. It wasn't that hard was it.

"Well go with the usual stuff like your likes, dislikes that kind of stuff. Alright I'll go first. My name is Kakashi Hatake and I have many likes and dislikes, as for the dreams of the future that is none of your business. Hobbies mmhmm I have many hobbies." He finished with an eye smile and Naruto and Sakura sweat dropped while Satsuki was indifferent not particularly interested in him.

"Alright you go firs pinky." He said and Sakura glared at her nickname and said.

"My name is Sakura Haruno. I like Kiba-kun, My hobbies are… *squeals*, my dreams for the future are … *squeals really hard*, my dislikes are Naruto-baka and Ino-buta." She screeched at the end and Kakashi sighed.

" _Great just great I picked out a fan girl."_ He thought and pointed to Satsuki.

"Alright emotional princess you're next." He said with an eye smile as she gave him an annoyed look at the nick name.

"My name is Satsuki Uchiha, I don't have many likes and have many dislikes. I don't have a dream I have an ambition, that is to kill a certain man." She finished coldly and Kakashi sighed again.

" _Another great choice Kakashi you picked up an emo revenge obsessed princess just because she has some relation to Obito. The future's looking great."_ He thought sarcastically and pointed to the smiling Naruto.

"Alright my little ball of sunshine you're next." He said and Naruto chirped happily.

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, I like learning seals, cooking, gardening and eating the pork cutlet bowl at Ichiraku's, training and spending time with Satsuki-chan, Haru ojii-san, the Ichiraku's family and the old man, I dislike traitors, people who take advantage of someone's weakness and people who belittle others without knowing them. My goal is to help Satsuki-chan in her goals and to become a great shinobi and one day surpass the Fourth Hokage and have a family." He finished happily as Kakashi eye smiled at the blonde bundle of energy.

" _At least one of them is normal enough. His values are great and has admirable goals. He dreams of surpassing his own father and having a family. He looks to be friends with Satsuki and will help glue the team together."_ He thought.

"That is a great introduction you gave and you have admirable goals." He said and Naruto smiled happily as Satsuki smirked as he had said to help her in reaching her goals and still remembered his promise. Sakura though was annoyed that he didn't like her great introduction.

"Alright now it's time for me tell you of your test to become genin. You see everyone has to take a test from their Jounin-sensei to see if they are ready for the field and it has a 66% failure rate." He said as everyone turned their attention to him.

"What will the test be?" asked Satsuki and he eye smiled.

"It will be a survival exercise." He said.

"But sensei we have already done that in the Academy what will be the point of that?" asked Sakura and he answered.

"This will be different from the Academy Sakura meet me at training ground seven at six a.m. tomorrow. Oh and don't eat breakfast or you'll puke." He said and vanished in a puff of smoke. Sakura tried to ask Satsuki if she wanted to hang out with her and she replied in a cold no and both her and Naruto jumped off to his apartment. They slept early wanting to be on time for their test.

 _ **Author's notes : There is the next chapter and in the next chapter we move on to thee bell test and the wave arc starts off. I love it that you guys appreciate the story so much and have gotten so many followers and favourites. It's really great and I appreciate it. Please review when you read the chapter. Keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

 **Konohagakure no sato**

 **The Next Morning**

 **Naruto's Apartment**

Naruto woke up with a groan as he sat up and gazed at the clock to see it was still 4:45 and got up as his stomach rumbled and he was getting a bit hungry. He walked into the kitchen and made some fried eggs, bacon and toasts and poured himself a glass of juice as he sat down and kept the other plate for Satsuki. Satsuki woke up smelling something cooking and walked out to see Naruto eating breakfast and had kept a plate for her too. She was confused as to what he was doing.

"Hey didn't Kakashi tell us not to eat breakfast?" she asked and yawned as she sat down in front of him and he replied after gulping some juice.

"No he suggested us not to eat and I'm not going to go hungry for a survival exercise and that too against an elite Jounin." He said and Satsuki too shrugged and dug in. Both ate in silence after Naruto spoke.

"So what do you think will he going to test us on?" he asked and she shrugged and put a strand of hair behind her ear and he thought that she looked so cute in a sleepy state with those silky unruly hair flailing around but was broken out of it as she spoke.

"I don't care what he gives us I'll pass it and then be one step closer to achieving my goals. I won't let this stop me." She said and he nodded and both continued eating and then got a shower and changed as they walked out as everything was still quiet and early and walked towards training ground 7. They reached the grounds after twenty minutes and were 5 minutes late as they saw Sakura already there sitting and they themselves sat down besides a tree.

"Ohayo Satsuki-Chan, Naruto." She said and Naruto smiled.

"Hn." Replied Satsuki in her trademark Uchiha grunt and Naruto sighed.

"Ohayo Sakura don't mind her she's always grumpy in the morning." He said and she giggled while Satsuki glared at him.

"Bastard." She said and he smiled.

"Bitch." He replied coolly and her glare intensified. She hated when he called her that so innocently. Naruto crossed his arms behind his head and lied down closing his eyes as Satsuki started reading a scroll on Chakra control while Sakura read a book on Medical Ninjas. He slept for three hours while both the girls too fell asleep with books on their faces after a couple of hours. This was the scene Kakashi saw as he came to the field in a swirl of leaves and sweat dropped.

"Alright my cute little genin wake up so we can begin the test." He said clapping his hands as all of them woke up and Sakura screeched while rubbing her eyes as Naruto and Satsuki winced.

"You're late." She said pointing a finger at him and he eye smiled.

"Ma ma Sakura you see a black cat crossed my path and I had to take the long way around." He said lazily as she screeched again and both the other genin covered their ears.

"Liar." She said and Kakashi chuckled.

"Well anyways this is what the test is going to be." He said taking out two bells.

"Your goal is to get a bell from me before noon and the one who doesn't get the bell goes back to the Academy while those who do get to eat their lunch in front of them." He said as Sakura's stomach rumbled and she blushed as he eye smiled at the other two.

"You had breakfast didn't you?" he stated while Naruto grinned foxily with a mischievous smile on his face while Satsuki grunted and smirked.

"Well that's out of the point now." He said as Sakura pointed out something to him.

"But sensei there's only two bells." She asked and Satsuki snorted.

"Really?" she asked mockingly and Sakura glared at her and Naruto sighed face palming.

"Yes Sakura that means one of you will definitely go back to the Academy." He said and she nodded now a bit nervous.

"Alright then your time starts… NOW !" he yelled as all of them scattered and his in the trees. Well they knew how to hide well he mused. Naruto was hiding in the trees thinking of everything in his mind. Kakashi was one of the best elite Jounins the village had. The old man had told him about his status and that he was a veteran of the third great shinobi war and a student of his idol the Yondaime and was the genius of his generation. There was no way any one of them could defeat him alone one on one at the levels they were at.

" _Alone… That's it it's a test to see teamwork no one of us would be able to land a scratch on him let alone get a bell through force if they worked alone. We have to attack him together and ambush him if we even want a chance to pass. Why else would they put us in three man cells? Konoha has been the strongest village because of our teamwork and our beliefs and won all the wars through them."_ He thought and ran off to find his teammates. He was glad about reading all those books on the previous wars. He came up to Satsuki and tapped her shoulder as she looked at him annoyed.

"What?" she asked in an annoyed tone and he ignored it.

"We all have to team up. It's a test on teamwork we can't defeat him alone." He said and she snorted.

"Please I don't need anyone's help. I'm an Uchiha and have trained too hard to be taken down by the likes of him. And I might tolerate you but that pink haired banshee is out of the question. So just go and try on your own and watch me take my bell." She said and jumped away to a different hiding spot before giving him a chance to explain and he sighed. Her pride was going to be her downfall. He ran off to the spot Sakura was hiding at and tapped her shoulder as she yelped and he put his hand over her mouth and then removed it after she calmed down.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"We have to team up it's a test for teamwork it isn't about the bells at all." He said and she snorted.

"And why would I want to team up with a loser like you?" she said and he sighed this was getting too repetitive.

"So you can take out an elite Jounin all by yourself I assume?" he asked and she flinched.

"Well…. Not exactly but…." She said and he cut her off.

"Exactly none of us will be able to take the bells by ourselves. I don't like this either but we have to put our differences aside or do you want to go back to the Academy. Even if the bells really are the target then it's better we decide what to do with them after getting them instead of all of is going back." He said as she hesitated and then nodded.

"Alright makes sense… but what about Satsuki-Chan?" she asked and he sighed.

"Her pride is too big at the moment. She sees her chance to prove herself against a strong opponent and will not listen to reason. We'll deal with it later." He said and she nodded as they started devising a plan.

Kakashi was standing in the clearing reading his book and giggling perversely not a care in the world. Suddenly several shurikens came from behind him and lodged into him as Satsuki smirked thinking she had got him. Suddenly Kakashi puffed into smoke as a log with shurikens embedded into it was visible and Satsuki's eyes widened as she jumped out into the clearing and Kakashi walked out into the clearing still reading his book.

"I'll take those bells from you and gain the power I need. I have to see what I'm capable of so let's fight." She said and Kakashi kept reading.

"Alright then try it if you wish." He said and turned a page and giggled as she fumed. He was mocking her by saying she wasn't worth looking up from that perverted book.

"I'll make you regret not taking me seriously. "she said and ran up to him as she engaged him in taijutsu. He had to close his book and use both of his hands and saw she was really flexible and used the Uchiha's interceptor Fist quite proficiently. She launched several kick and punch combos as all were blocked by Kakashi.

"You are good but not good enough." He said as she smirked and jumped back as she started going through hand seals and finished on tiger as Kakashi's lone eye widened.

" _A Fire jutsu genin don't have the control or reserves for an elemental jutsu. Is she bluffing?"_ he thought as she breathed in huge amounts of air.

" **Fire style : Grand Fireball Jutsu"** she yelled and breathed out a huge yellow fireball at where he was standing and created a crater as she panted and smirked as she thought it was over. Suddenly two hands grabbed her ankles from the ground and pulled her in neck deep as Kakashi came out unscathed.

" **Earth style : Head Hunter Jutsu"** he said and she glared at him as he walked away and she fumed at being outdone and now was exhausted after that fight to attempt it again.

'Meanwhile Naruto and Sakura had devised a plan and both saw the battle and were impressed. Naruto knew how hard Fire jutsus were since he himself hadn't learnt one himself yet even after all that practicing and she had executed a pretty powerful fireball and her taijutsu too was great.

"You were right none of us could beat him alone." She whispered and he smiled and nodded

"So shouldn't we get her out of there?" she asked and he shook his head.

"No she is furious right now. I know her pretty well she is even more hard headed right now than before. Let her cool down or she'll interfere with our plan. After our attack is done then we will come back and free her." He said and she nodded as he jumped out into the clearing in front of Kakashi.

"Let's do this Kakashi-sensei." He said and Kakashi looked up from his book.

"I thought you were the smart one Naruto. Didn't you see what happened to miss Uchiha?" he asked and he smirked.

"Well I'm different Kakashi-sensei." He said and dropped down into the Hummingbird style stance and Kakashi's eye widened recognizing that stance and instantly closed his book. Naruto knew he knew his secret as the old man told him in front of him and he could use it here. Naruto charged at him and threw a right punch that he grabbed and jumped to hit his knee on his chin as Kakashi back flipped away as Naruto charged again and threw a roundhouse kick at his head as he crouched down and gave him and uppercut as he jumped back but Kakashi kicked him in the chest as he skids back and coughed. Kakashi had to admit the kid was good considering his age and his inexperience with the style. He had an advantage as he had fought against that stance before so he knew it relied on speed and agility as his sensei used to beat him with it.

" _Damn it he didn't even look to make it hard on him and beat me easily while holding back at my full speed. So this is an elite Jounin huh? Then if quality won't do it then let's try quantity."_ He thought and smirked as he made a cross hand seal and Kakashi's eye widened again at seeing the peculiar hand sign.

" _He knows the_ _ **Shadow Clone Jutsu**_ **?** _What is with these kids today and all the high level jutsus?"_ He thought as Naruto yelled.

" **Ninja Art : Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu"** he yelled and created fifty clones as they all charged at him from all sides and Kakashi increased his speeds to mid chunin and started tearing apart the clones. He punched a clone in the middle of the fray as he kicked the original back and turned around to deal with the others. But this one instead of poofing out transformed into Sakura who jumped at him and grabbed the bells as he kicked her back and the timer rang as all clones except one poofed out and he went and dug out Satsuki who walked back with a scowl on her face and Sakura handed the bell to Naruto and both now had a bell each and Kakashi clapped.

"That was an excellent plan and great teamwork. You executed it perfectly and now I assume Satsuki goes back to the Academy?" he asked and Satsuki looked down in shame as she had ignored every warning Naruto tried to give and even belittled him after all he done for her. This was the perfect punishment for her she mused as tears welled up in her eyes and a couple dropped to the ground as she looked up hurt when Naruto chuckled. Now even he was laughing at her she thought.

"You assume wrong sensei." He said as everyone looked at him confused and he tossed the bell to Satsuki and she caught it and looked at him confused.

"I have no problem going back to the Academy for another year. My goal doesn't need this headband and I will get stronger and pass the test next year plus I promised her to help her towards her goal and I never go back on my word because that's my nindo my ninja way." He said and grinned foxily putting both his hands behind his head.

"No Naruto you and Satsuki deserve the bells after all you were the one who told me the meaning of the test and worked the hardest part of my plan. It's alright I'll go back to the Academy and hone my basics." She said putting the bell in front of her as Satsuki spoke up.

"No it was my arrogance and stupidity that led to you two working alone I don't deserve these bells after all the work you did. Take it." She said pushing the bell in Naruto's hands as Kakashi chuckled and clapped.

"I'm proud of you all you all pass." He said and everyone stared at him blankly.

"Every previous team I tested either didn't work together or those who did at this point fell out and fought each other for the bells thinking they were worthy. You guys are the first ones to realize their own mistakes and sacrifice your own bell for the other." He said and walked them up to the Hero's monument.

"This stone has the names of every ninja that died fighting for this village. The names of my best friends are carved here. Remember in the ninja world those who break the rules are scum that's true but those who abandon even one of their comrades are even worse than scum." He said and everyone smiled.

"Alright Team 7 is now official meet me tomorrow at the bridge at nine. Ja Ne" he said with an eye smile and puffed out of existence and went to report it to the Hokage tower.

 **At the Hokage Office**

All the Jounin senseis were there reporting the results of the tests of their teams as Kakashi puffed into the office and waited for his turn and kept reading his book.

"Team 8 passed." Said Kurenai and he nodded.

"Team 10 passed." Said Asuma and he nodded and turned to Kakashi.

"Well Kakashi you're the only one who's left so?" he asked as Kakashi closed his book and eye smiled.

"Team 7 passed." He said as the whole office went deathly silent and a crow croaked outside and he sweat dropped.

"What?" he asked this time a bit annoyed.

"You passed a team?" asked Kurenai in disbelief and he eye smiled and nodded and everyone muttered that it must have been due to the Uchiha princess.

"Alright everyone is dismissed except you Kakashi." He said and everyone left the room as Hiruzen turned the privacy seals on and Kakashi turned serious and glared at him.

"You taught him the **Shadow Clone Jutsu** didn't you?" he stated more than asked as Hiruzen smiled innocently.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He said innocently and Kakashi ran a hand through his hair.

"I assume you saw everything?" he asked and Hiruzen nodded.

"Indeed I did." He said and Kakashi nodded.

"He really is his father's son." Kakashi said happily and Hiruzen smiled proudly and nodded.

"So any word from the Fire capital?" he asked and Hiruzen nodded as his face became emotionless.

"Yes Jiraiya and Kushina just wrote that the training of Narumi and Mito would take a few more months and that she was going to come back in a year maybe." He said and both sighed.

"Anything else?" asked Kakashi and he nodded and had a hard look on his face.

"Yes she says she has realized her mistake that she made all those years ago by casting her son aside because he reminded her too much of Minato and that now she wanted to make amends with him and bring her son back to her life. She has written this to me in the past couple of years but said she couldn't return since her daughters needed to be ready as Jiraiya had got some information about a group named Akatsuki who were after the powers of the bijuu and it is comprised of S-ranked missing ninja only. Two of its members are Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki "the Monster of the Mist" and a former member of the seven swordsman and that Orochimaru was a former member." He said and Kakashi was shocked at the names of the members and their purpose.

"So does it mean Naruto…" he said as he cut him off shaking his head.

"No I haven't revealed it to anyone that the Kyuubi has regained its chakra and that Naruto is now the true jinchuriki of the nine tails for three years now to anyone except you and Tenzo who is now our ANBU Commander as I don't trust anyone else with this information yet. To the world Naruto just holds the soul and body of the Kyuubi and is a powerless jinchuriki and I intend to keep it that way as long as possible. Minato's seal keeps its chakra completely suppressed and it is impossible for anyone to know about it until he learns how to draw upon it." He said and Kakashi nodded.

"We have to tell him of his heritage and his burden soon." He said and Hiruzen nodded.

"Yes let him get used to the shinobi ways for a few months. Get them ready for the chunin exams in six months. It will give them all enough experience and maturity to handle that kind of information. I'll tell him before the start of the exams so that he may have his Sharingan to rely on in the exams." He said and Kakashi nodded and both knew it was going to be ugly when the truths were revealed. He released the privacy seals and Kakashi left not in the mood to read his book and Hiruzen rubbed his temples as his head ached.

" _Minato you've left me with such a big burden old friend. How am I supposed to handle your child when the truths are revealed and what will be his reactions? Help me out here my old friend."_ He thought and plopped back in his chair.

 **The Next Morning**

Naruto was walking down the streets towards the meeting point when he saw the boy from yesterday trying to pathetically hide from him. He ignored him but after a while it was annoying him.

"Alright kid what do you want?" he asked as he came out from behind the cloth.

"I knew it you saw through my disguise you are strong just as grandpa said. I'll beat you and then I'll become Hokage." He said and Naruto laughed as he looked at him angrily.

"Hey what are you laughing for?" he asked as Naruto stopped laughing and smiled at him.

"Kid do you even know what a Hokage is?" he asked and the kid nodded.

"Yeah he's the one who leads the village and everyone respects him. I'll beat him and become Hokage then everyone will look up to me." He said confidently and Naruto chuckled.

"No you're wrong kid a Hokage isn't just strong, he is the ninja who everyone in the village trusts their lives to. He is the one whose shadow protects everyone in the village. That's why he is the Fire shadow of the land of fire. People don't respect the old man cause he's the Hokage, he's the Hokage because the whole village already respected and trusted him. There is no easy way to be Hokage. So train well and make people respect you and then one day maybe you'll become Hokage. There's no easy way to it so get ready for lots of tears and sweat cause that is the path to a Hokage." He said as he ruffled his hair and walked on with his hands in his pockets. Konohamaru just stood there transfixed as he saw him leave and then Ebisu and Hiruzen came up to him as they were walking him to the Academy when he ran off.

"Honourable grandson you shouldn't run away come with me I'm the best elite trainer and I'll show you all the shortcuts to become Hokage." Said Ebisu as Konohamaru gazed at the empty street and said.

"No there is no shortcut to being Hokage. I'll train hard and then everyone will acknowledge and respect me. People don't respect grandpa because he is the Hokage. That's what a Hokage is, who everyone respects and looks up to and who watches over the village. I'll become Hokage after I have done those things." He said and Hiruzen was stunned at his words. He had tried to get him to understand it so many times but he always was on about beating him and taking his hat.

"Konohamaru who taught you that?" he asked and Konohamaru replied as he ran off to the Academy.

"Naruto did from now on he's my idol." He shouted and Hiruzen smiled as Ebisu chased him.

"He did now didn't he." He said and walked to his office with a smile.

Naruto came up to the bridge and saw Sakura and Satsuki already there and smiled.

"Ohayo Satsuki-Chan, Sakura." He said and Sakura smiled and greeted him.

"Ohayo Naruto." She said.

"Hn." Satsuki grunted and he twitched at her greeting and sighed. They waited and after two hours Sakura was too irritated and spoke up.

"Where is he I swear I'll strangle him. We should beat him again today like yesterday to make him understand punctuality." She said and Naruto chuckled as she looked at her confused.

"Don't be ridiculous we just were able to catch him off guard when he was holding back on us and even then I think he let you take the bells. He's on a whole other level." He said and Satsuki agreed as Sakura nodded remembering him telling her he was one of the best elite Jounin of the village. An hour later Kakashi appeared and took them to get them their first mission.

 **Two months later**

It had been two months since the bell test and now Naruto was getting annoyed. They had been doing nothing but D-ranked missions and the only thing a bit useful that they had done was the little training in between the missions that they had done. Today the patience of all members of team 7 were running thing as they walked into the mission's office. He hated D-ranked especially that damned cat that apparently liked only Satsuki for some reason and clawed his face in whenever he got close to it. Sakura too was getting tired of all those chores and was tired of weeding farms and walking dogs and she too hated Tora with a passion. Kakashi saw their annoyed looks and knew they were on the last threads of patience today. The team now had good teamwork and each member respected the other.

"Ah team 7 we have lots of missions today like cleaning the Inuzuka clan's litters, babysitting the merchant's daughter, weeding a garden, painting a fence or…" he trailed off as he heard a shout.

"Tora come back here baby." Madam Shijimi screamed as Hiruzen sighed.

"Or catching Tora." He finished as all three genin of team 7 said in unison.

"No." they said and Kakashi sighed he knew this was coming soon after doing so many D-ranked missions and team trainings for formations.

"I am not doing anymore chores and I swear if I catch that damn cat one more time I'll give it to you extra crispy." Naruto said and Hiruzen grimaced and Sakura and Satsuki agreed with him completely.

Hiruzen looked at Kakashi with a raised eyebrow and he nodded.

"They are ready for a C-ranked mission Hokage-sama." He said and Hiruzen asked if he was sure and he nodded and Hiruzen took out a scroll from the C-ranked pile and called out to his secretary.

"Alright team 7 you'll be escorting a client to the land of waves and be his bodyguards until he finishes the bridge he's building. Alright send in Tazuna-san." He said as a drunk man with a sake bottle came in and snorted.

"What I asked for bodyguards and you give me two frail girls, a whiskered brat and a cyclops. What's this a circus." He slurred as Satsuki glared while Kakashi and Naruto held down Sakura from killing the client.

"Tazuna-san it would be wise not to disrespect my best shinobi in front of me." He said seriously and Tazuna nodded in fright as Kakashi addressed his team.

"Alright team 7 we head out tomorrow at 8. Pack for a month and meet me at the gates. Ja Ne." he said and vanished in a puff of smoke as Naruto and Satsuki were going to their homes as Naruto tossed a scroll at Sakura who caught it and looked at him questionably.

"That's a storage scroll seal your stuff into it and you won't have to carry it around." He said and Sakura was wide eyed. Storage scrolls were pretty expensive to buy and no Ninja below chunins used them.

"But Naruto these are really expensive are you sure?" she asked and he nodded with a smile.

"Don't worry the loser here can make them anytime he wants just ask him for some if you need he is the one place sealing store." Said Satsuki as Sakura giggled while Naruto glared at her. She walked towards her home and spoke.

"Alright I'll bring the stuff I don't have there over to your place and then you could help me seal it." She said and walked off as he twitched. She never asked anything politely and always ordered him around. What would it take for someone to be a bit appreciative around here he mused and walked to his own apartment. She came an hour later with a lot of stuff like her clothes, tents, ninja equipment's and some emergency rations with her and he raised an eyebrow.

"You know for that much stuff I would have to create specialized seals to fit it in one scroll." He asked.

"Yes so now get to it." She said and he twitched. He really didn't know why he did everything she said to him like that and began painting the seals and sealing off the stuff. It took him half an hour to do the seals for both of them and another hour to seal the stuff after which both showered, changed and went to bed.

He opened his eyes to the sunrays and saw that it was 6:30 and it was time to get up as he turned around in his bed and saw a pair of onyx eyes staring at him as Satsuki was crouched down besides his bed.

"Kyaaa…" he yelled and fell down on the other side of the bed and muttered curses under his breath as he rubbed his head and walked past her in the kitchen knowing she would be doing it again to wake him up for breakfast. He prepared some sandwiches and potato wedges with some cold coffee and both ate as Satsuki spoke up.

"Hey not going to ask me to stop waking you up like that?" she asked and he looked up at her.

"Are you going to stop it if I asked?" he said and she thought for a moment and replied.

"No." she said coolly and he glared at her as she ate her breakfast ignoring the glare and Naruto sighed and picked up the dishes and washed them up as both showered and got their equipment ready and put their storage scrolls in their hip pouches and walked out into the streets and towards the gates and saw Sakura there with her usual equipment and without any bags as she waved at them. After ten minutes Kakashi came with the client and a backpack on his back as he looked at them confused.

"Hey didn't I ask you guys to pack for a month." He asked and they took out their storage scrolls and he eye smiled at Naruto.

"Ah I forgot our little blonde genin had a talent in sealing. Naruto you wouldn't happen to have a spare storage scroll for your sensei now would you?" He asked and Naruto tossed him a scroll and he eye smiled and stored his bag into it and was amazed at the quality of the storage seals that were there and thanked him while Naruto just smiled and nodded.

"Alright team let's head out." He said as they all walked out of the village gates towards their first real mission.

 _ **Author's notes : There is the start to the wave arc and the story is getting to the most interesting part now. This arc will give Naruto and Satsuki some progression in their relationship and we get closer to the main turning point of the story the family reunion. For all the flames I have to say my fics are not perfect but I can say they are fun to read at least. I thank you all for the response and reviews to the story and have to say keep them coming. Keep reading and reviewing so until next time. Ja Ne ;)**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

 **On the Road to Wave**

Team 7 along with Tazuna were walking down the path towards wave country. They were in a diamond formation around Tazuna with Sakura at point, Naruto and Satsuki at the sides and Kakashi at the rear. Sakura was making small talk with Tazuna about their village and Kakashi had just explained to her the division of the ninja villages. Naruto was looking around at the scenery happily as this was the first time he had ever been outside. Satsuki was just indifferent and was walking silently while Kakashi was reading his book.

"Hey loser what are you smiling about?" she asked and he looked at her with a smile.

"This is the first time I've ever been outside the village. Have you ever been outside the village walls guys?" he asked and Sakura nodded happily.

"Of course my parents are merchants and I've been to several villages before." She chirped happily.

"Yeah I've been outside too before when I was small for clan affairs." Satsuki said and Naruto nodded. He didn't want to ask her any further and bring up any bad memories. Looks like he was the only one who hadn't been outside the village. Maybe that was because they all had families that took them out for some reason he mused then shook those depressing thoughts out and continued gazing down the path.

"Are you sure they are ready to protect me?" Tazuna asked nervously hearing Naruto hadn't even been outside the village before.

"Yes this is a C-rank mission and will consist mostly of thieves and bandits with no ninja encounters and a genin can handle them no problem. Plus, I'm a Jounin an elite Ninja so there's no need to be worried about." He said with an eye smile and got back to reading as Tazuna nodded nervously and drank some more sake. Kakashi appeared the normal outside but was getting suspicious with his nervousness but kept it in the back of his mind for the time being and kept to his reading.

They walked for a few hours until noon when they walked past a puddle. Kakashi glanced at it but kept walking when suddenly two figures came out from the puddles and charged at Kakashi. They wrapped their chains around Kakashi and pulled as he was torn apart to pieces.

"One down." One of them said and they charged at the genin. Satsuki and Naruto each took on one of them as Satsuki threw a shuriken at their chains and Naruto lodged in a kunai through the hole as both delivered a roundhouse kick to their faces and yanked of the chains. Naruto made a cross hand seal and moulded the required chakra.

" **Ninja Art : Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu"** He yelled as ten clones poofed into existence and dogpiled over the two mist ninjas as a beat down ensued and they were knocked unconscious. Satsuki took out a kunai and went ahead to slash their throats as Naruto caught her wrist and she glared at him and he glared back as she backed away. He rarely ever got any emotions besides his happy and smiling nature and she knew he didn't want her to kill them.

"Why would you show mercy to them? They came at us with the intention to kill we should return the favour. Or have you forgotten about what they did to Kakashi?" She said annoyed and he let go of her wrist as she rubbed it and he narrowed his eyes at her last remark.

"They can have information that can be useful to the mission and more intel which could help our village if interrogated. They are worth more alive than dead and as for Kakashi you don't think they actually got them with that lame ambush now do you?" he asked and she looked back at the spot where Kakashi was to see splintered logs and immediately deduced he used a **Substitution Jutsu.** She huffed and walked over to them tying them up with ninja wires as clapping was heard.

"Excellently executed and perfect teamwork. You kept your cool and decided what was best for the team and the village by keeping a level head I'm proud of you Naruto. Satsuki the way you immobilized them was perfect by taking their advantage with the chains and your teamwork with Naruto was flawless. Sakura you instantly were on guard to protect the bridge builder and didn't interfere knowing combat wasn't your forte and accepted your weakness and did the best for the team. I'm proud of all of you." He said with an eye smile as Sakura smiled and Naruto grinned foxily and rubbed the back of his head blushing in embarrassment and Satsuki smirked at his reaction.

"Don't let it get to your head loser. You just got lucky." She said smugly and he fumed at her.

"Why you little…" he said as Kakashi held him back chuckling and she smirked smugly and he got even angrier and struggled.

"Alright alright you two that's enough bonding." He said and they both huffed and looked away and Kakashi sighed while Sakura just giggled at their antics.

"Now Tazuna-san we need to talk. "Kakashi said and Tazuna gulped and decided to take his mind off of it.

"If you were alive then why did you let the genin do all of the work?" he asked.

"Well I was watching everything and would have interfered if they needed it but they didn't. They need experience in the field and they just gained it. As for why I didn't do anything and hid I did to see who their target was." He said and Tazuna started sweating.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well if they were after us then they would have most probably left after I was done for or went after the genin. But their entire focus was on you. I saw your reaction and it was clear you were expecting something like this. Now I know you had your reasons but lying to us about the mission parameters is unacceptable I'm afraid the mission is done." He said coldly as Tazuna was shocked.

"What you can't do that. Please I'll die if you don't help me and my grandson and my daughter will die too. Gatou is going to finish the last hope of the land of waves and make us his slave. Please don't abandon me." He pleaded and Kakashi shook his head and told the team to come to the village with him as Sakura too agreed thinking this wasn't a mission for genin and Satsuki just followed his orders and they started walking back to the village as Tazuna cried and held his head down. After a moment Kakashi saw Naruto wasn't with them and saw him standing besides Tazuna.

"Naruto let's go this mission is over we don't have to go on anymore." He said and Naruto shook his head.

"No sensei his country needs this bridge it's their last hope. I know what it feels to be helpless and I won't let their hopes die. I will complete the mission even if I have to do it alone." He said and Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

"Naruto the mission is over I am your superior officer and order you to come back to the village. Let's go or I'll report you for insubordination." He threatened and Naruto smiled.

"Alright go ahead sensei I'll deal with it when I get back after the mission. And didn't you teach us those abandon their comrades for rules were worse than scum." He said and Kakashi's eye widened as an image of Obito came to his head.

"The loser is right I am not going to let him show me up and disgrace the name of the Uchiha clan I'm going too." Said Satsuki and Sakura too agreed with them and both stood beside Naruto who nodded with a smile and Kakashi sighed.

"Then I guess we have no choice but to go on. I'm going to hear about this later from the Hokage I know it. Let's go." He said and they all walked after Kakashi left a message with Pakkun to take the Demon brothers for interrogation with the ANBU who ran off to the village.

Team 7 kept on walking and then came up to a shore as they took a boat to the land of waves and after a few hours the bridge came into view.

"Wow Tazuna-san that's a great bridge." Said Naruto and the whole team nodded in agreement while Tazuna smiled proudly.

"Of course it is after all the greatest builder in the elemental nations built it." He said smugly and Satsuki snorted as he face faulted and Naruto snickered. Eventually they came to shore and started walking again. After a couple of hours of walking they were startled as Satsuki threw a kunai at the bushes and a white rabbit ran off from it scared. Naruto and Sakura sighed in relief and dropped their guards while Satsuki grunted at throwing a kunai at a stupid rabbit.

" _Hmm a snow rabbit with white fur in summers, he was raised indoors by the looks of it. He was most likely used for a_ _ **Substitution Jutsu.**_ _Hmm looks like the enemy is already here."_ He thought expanding his senses when a whistling sound was heard through the air.

"Get Down!" he yelled as all of them dropped down on the ground and a huge cleaver embedded itself on the tree and a man with bandages over his mouth stood over its hilt. Kakashi walked forward and stood in front of the man as he chuckled.

"Ah no wonder the Demon Brothers were defeated. After all their opponent was the copy ninja Kakashi of the Sharingan Eye. You were in my bingo book at the top of the A-ranked ninjas list during my days in the Kiri Assassination squad with a kill on sight order. Your description said the man who copied over a thousand jutsu." He said and Naruto and Satsuki narrowed their eyes at the Sharingan in his name profile.

"Zabuza Momochi "The Demon of the Bloody Mist" Ex member of the seven swordsman and former commander of the Kiri ANBU Assassination squad. Went rogue after the attempted assassination on the Mizukage Yagura." He said and raised his forehead protector and Zabuza chuckled.

"Ah I get to see the Sharingan in action I'm honoured." He said as Kakashi opened his left eye to open the three tomoe Sharingan as both Naruto and Satsuki had their eyes widened.

"What's this Sharingan everyone keeps saying?" asked Sakura.

"The Sharingan is a rare and powerful Kekkei Genkai found rarely in the members of the Uchiha clan. It gives the user the ability to comprehend any nin, gen and taijutsu." Satsuki answered through gritted teeth at seeing the Sharingan in the eye of a non Uchiha. He only had one and it was always on so he kept it covered to cope up with the chakra drain it must cost him which meant it was transplanted she surmised. Sakura nodded and Naruto kept a hand over her shoulder and smiled as she calmed down and kept it in her mind for later.

"Alright team this battle's way out of your league so stay back and let me handle it. Protect the bridge builder with a manji formation. I taught you teamwork now use it." He said and they all covered Tazuna.

"Looks like I'll have to take you down to get the old man eh Kakashi?" he said and made a half ram hand seal and moulded a huge amount of chakra.

" **Ninja Art : Hidden Mist Jutsu"** he said as a thick chakra laced mist enveloped the field and Zabuza disappeared.

"Which will be my attack point? Larynx, lungs, spine, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys or the heart." He said and a huge amount of killing intent flooded the fields and all of them trembled as Kakashi too leaked his own killing intent. Satsuki was getting too frightened and brought her kunai to her neck to kill herself from the pressure and suffocation.

"Satsuki calm down I won't let my comrades die." Said Kakashi calming her down as Zabuza appeared in between the four.

"Oh I wouldn't be too sure about that." Said Zabuza as he swiped his sword and Kakashi appeared in front of him and stabbed his kunai in his gut as he fell in a puddle of water. Zabuza appeared behind him and swiped his sword at him.

"It's over." He said and cleaved him as Kakashi too fell in a puddle of water.

"What the water clone jutsu? He copied my moves even in this mist?" he said as Kakashi put a kunai on his neck from behind.

"Now it's over." He said and slashed his kunai in his neck as he fell in a puddle of water and the real Zabuza kicked him in the lake. As Kakashi swam to the surface he saw the water as too heavy when Zabuza came behind him and went through hand seals.

" **Water style : Water Prison Jutsu"** he said and Kakashi was trapped in a sphere off water and Zabuza chuckled. He created a water clone.

"Run take the bridge builder and leave. The fight's over he can't make the water clone go far from him so run." He shouted.

" _Running is out of the question. The moment you got caught that option went out the window. He'll just chase us down and hunt us if we run. The only option is to get you free."_ Thought Naruto.

"Satsuki I've got a plan you hear me?" he asked as she smirked at him.

"Yeah I hear you." She said as Sakura stood back to protect the bridge builder. He nodded back as Zabuza chuckled.

"You brats think your ninjas? You're just brats with shiny headbands. When you make it into my Bingo books then maybe you could call yourselves ninjas." He said chuckling.

"Hey eye brow less freak." Said Naruto as Zabuza twitched.

"Put this in your Bingo books. The boy who will one day surpass all the Hokages and who never gives up. His name's Naruto and this is the day he bested you." He said as Zabuza had a tick mark on his head. He made a cross hand seal.

" **Ninja Art : Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu"** he shouted as thirty clones came into existence and covered Zabuza.

"Ooh shadow clones and there's quite a few of them. Maybe you have some skill with that big mouth of yours" he said as they all dogpiled him and he pushed them away as Satsuki came from above him with an axe kick that he blocked and she back flipped and went through hand seals.

" **Fire style : Grand Fireball Jutsu"** she said and launched a fireball at him as he jumped back and laughed.

"Is that all you've got?" he mocked them.

"Hell no I've still got this." Naruto said and threw a Demon Wind Shuriken over to Satsuki who opened up its blades.

" **Demon Wind Shuriken : Windmill of Shadows"** she shouted and launched the shuriken at the original Zabuza who caught it when a second shuriken came up from behind him. He jumped over it and laughed.

"Ha as if a shuriken could hit me." He mocked and Satsuki smirked as the shuriken puffed into Naruto who threw a kunai at his arm.

"Eat this!" he shouted as Zabuza let go of the sphere of water holding Kakashi and charged at Naruto with the Shuriken which Kakashi stopped and glared at him. He stood up as both had their hands locked.

"That was an excellent plan Naruto. Your unpredictability never ceases to amaze me. You and Satsuki did great." He said as both genin smirked while Sakura had a small blush on her face as she stared at Naruto and the way he had handled the situation was perfect in her opinion.

"I just lost my concentration on the Water prison that's all there is to it." Said Zabuza as Kakashi snorted.

"Don't flatter yourself you were forced to let go." He said as Zabuza snarled when Kakashi threw his shuriken away and jumped back as he started going through hand seals when Kakashi's Sharingan eye widened and he too started going through the same hand seals.

"Sharingan." Both Naruto and Satsuki whispered as they saw both Jounin go through a long chain of hand seals and finish at Tori at the same time.

" **Water style : Water Dragon Jutsu"** both said in unison as two water dragons rose up and clashed with each other as Zabuza and Kakashi engaged each other in weapons combat. Zabuza was perplexed as to how the two jutsus were executed at the same time.

" _Amazing he copied so many hand seals and mirrored the jutsu back to him instantly, perfectly so that's the power of the Sharingan wielded by someone who has mastered it."_ Thought Naruto as Satsuki too had the same thoughts going through her mind. Zabuza got furious as he jumped back and went through hand seals as Kakashi finished before him and launched the jutsu.

" **Water style : Giant Vortex Jutsu"** said Kakashi as huge vortex of water washed away Zabuza who was stunned beyond belief.

"Impossible can you see the future?" he said as he coughed and Kakashi stood above him with a kunai in his hand.

"Yes and your future is death." He said coldly going to finish it when two senbon needles came and pierced his neck and a Kiri Hunter Nin appeared there.

"Thank you for weakening him enough. I've been after him for a long time now." He said as he picked up the body.

"Hey you can't take his body and sword like that." Shouted Satsuki taking out a kunai as Kakashi held her back.

"Calm down Satsuki he's a hunter nin. It's his job to dispose of rogue ninjas of his village and stop the enemy from gaining village secrets." He explained and she grunted and turned back as he left in a swirl of wind. Kakashi covered up his Sharingan with his forehead protector as he turned to Tazuna.

"Tazuna-san we would need a place to rest and treat our injuries if you don't mind." He said and Tazuna nodded.

"Of course my house is close we can stay there. Follow me." He said and everyone nodded and started to follow him as Kakashi fell down face first.

"Kakashi-sensei!" shouted Sakura and checked him over as the other two genin came besides her.

"He has severe chakra exhaustion and will need a week of rest to recuperate." She said and both of them nodded trusting her little medical skills that she possessed. Naruto put Kakashi on his back as Satsuki was too tired from the two battles and Sakura couldn't carry her weight and walk at a decent speed. They came up to a house besides a lake as Tsunami answered the door and they asked for a room for Kakashi and she showed them the room upstairs and Naruto laid Kakashi down as they all waited downstairs for him to wake up and Naruto sent out some clones for scouting and Sakura was checking over Kakashi constantly while Satsuki slept as she was exhausted from the two battles.

Kakashi woke up a couple of hours later as Sakura called Naruto up and he woke up Satsuki and both walked up to his room.

"Well my Sharingan drained me too much. I guess I am getting out of shape." He said and Satsuki spoke up.

"Where did you get the Sharingan? You're not an Uchiha and it is definitely transplanted did you steal it?" she asked coldly as Naruto put a hand over her shoulder calming her down.

"Satsuki Kakashi-sensei isn't the type of person to steal someone's eyes for power I'm sure there must be a big reason for it." He said and she nodded and turned to Kakashi who eye smiled at the blonde and was happy for his trust in him.

"This was entrusted to me by my teammate during the midst of a mission during the third great shinobi war. In those days I used to follow rules blindly and decided to leave my teammate Rin who was captured by Iwa shinobi in favour of the mission but Obito went after her not caring at all about the mission. Eventually I followed him and we both fought off those shinobi and freed Rin but the Iwa ninja made the cave fall with an Earth jutsu. I had my left eye slashed and couldn't see the boulder coming over me and he pushed me away. He was crushed under the boulder and his whole right side was crushed. In his last moments he entrusted me with his Sharingan. It is his last momento and legacy I have of him." He said and Satsuki looked down in shame at accusing him of stealing it without even a second thought and Naruto and Sakura had tears in their eyes.

"Well that's enough about me but I have to say I'm proud of the way you all handled yourselves against opponents stronger than yourself. But I have done a lot of thinking and I suspect Zabuza is alive. The hunter nin used senbon needles that can put a person in a death like state. I think he'll be back in maybe two weeks after recuperating from the injuries I gave him in battle and we can assume the hunter-nin will be there with him this time." He said and they all were stunned.

"Then sensei what will we do now?" asked Sakura and Kakashi eye smiled.

"Why train you guys of course." He said and Sakura argued.

"But Kakashi-sensei you could barely defeat him even with your Sharingan. What good will a little last minute training do to us?" she asked.

But Sakura it was you guys who saved me from the water prison and defeated the Demon Brothers. I'll take care of Zabuza but you guys will fight the hunter-nin and protect Tazuna while I deal with him." He said and they all nodded.

"Alright rest and recuperate tonight. We'll start your training early tomorrow morning." He said and they all nodded. They had dinner as they heard the story of Kaiza there and slept.

 **The Next Morning**

They all woke up early next morning as they had breakfast and Kakashi took them to the forest on crutches and stopped in a clearing.

"Alright my cute little genin today we'll be climbing trees." He said with an eye smile as everyone looked at him as if he was stupid.

"But sensei how is climbing trees going to help us fight Zabuza and that hunter-nin Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura with a blank face and Naruto too was now starting to doubt him.

"And to think I was starting to gain a little respect for that lazy ass pervert." Said Satsuki and Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Now now have a little faith in your sensei. Now we will climb trees without using our hands." He said and the whole clearing was quiet as a crow croaked and he sweat dropped. He walked up to the tree and started walking and after two steps he slipped down and landed flat on his back. Naruto and Sakura snickered while Satsuki shook her head.

"You know that we have to fight Zabuza get serious already this isn't helping you any in the respect department either." She said coolly and he glared at her.

"Hey my concentration slipped that's all." He said indignantly and she smirked.

"Sure whatever makes you sleep well at night." She replied coolly and Naruto and Sakura laughed harder and he glared at her and then walked up the tree and then stood upside down on a high branch.

"Whoa that's so cool sensei is it a jutsu?" asked Naruto and he eye smiled at the blonde.

"No Naruto this is simple chakra control. You send chakra to the soles of your feet and then stick to the tree. Too much chakra and you blow off, too little and you slip." He said and threw three kunai at their feet.

"Use these to mark your progress now get to it." He said as he sat down on a branch and took out his book. All of them ran up the tree as Satsuki slipped after ten steps while Naruto blew off after seven. Sakura made it all the way to the branch and sat down on it as Kakashi eye smiled.

"Well looks like Sakura here has the best chance to become a good ninja. So much for someone who is going to surpass the Fourth Hokage and looks like the Uchiha clan isn't as great as people make them out to be." He said as Sakura glared at him for belittling them and Satsuki and Naruto grit their teeth and looked at each other then ran up the tree and he eye smiled. Looks like he pressed the right buttons he mused.

"Sakura you should keep going as long as you can it will help increase your chakra reserves." He said and she nodded and started going up and down for a couple of hours before she was exhausted and sat down under the tree. She saw Satsuki was three fourths at the tree while Naruto was just at half. She was surprised as Naruto came up to her and crouched down in front of her and she blushed at the closeness.

"Psst hey Sakura how did you do it so quickly?" he asked her and she was surprised that he asked her for help. She told him to clear his thoughts and focus only on the task and he nodded. Kakashi eye smiled seeing this looks like Naruto was getting the point of asking for help and not doing everything alone like Satsuki. Sakura and Kakashi went to the house to rest as Naruto took her advice and immediately rushed a good distance past his previous mark and smiled. Satsuki saw this and grit her teeth and tried even harder but after an hour she saw she wasn't making good progress and Naruto was getting closer to her. She finally decided to swallow her pride and walked up to him as he looked at her curiously.

"Hey loser what did Sakura tell you?" she asked through gritted teeth and he raised an eye brow and then smiled mischievously.

"Why does little Satsuki-Chan need help. I thought Uchiha were the best the _elites._ " He said teasingly and she fumed and grabbed his collar and brought his face in front of her mere inches away.

"What did you say?" she asked growling and he grinned mischievously and kissed her nose as she yelped and backed away a rosy red blush on her face as he laughed holding his sides and her eye brow twitched. She walked up to him and bashed his head into the ground.

"Pervert." She muttered and walked away as he rubbed his head.

"Just clear your head and focus on the task and you'll do fine." He said and she didn't say anything but took his advice and ran up the tree. She immediately blew past her previous mark and smirked as both kept going late into the night and then limped back home as Naruto had to carry her on his back since she couldn't even stand. They had dinner when suddenly the little boy spoke up.

"Why?" he whispered as everyone looked at him curiously.

"Why do you even try? You can't win against Gatou the weak always lose against the strong why do you even try?" he asked and Naruto replied.

"Well at least we are doing something. Your grandfather and mother is trying to end his rule here and we are training to fight him. At least we aren't whining. Just as the First Hokage used to say "Under the wing of a strong leader cowardice cannot survive."." he finished as Inari glared at him.

"What do you know of suffering? Always smiling and laughing you don't know what it's like to suffer." He said as the room became quiet and Naruto's hair shadowed his eyes and the spoon in his hands dropped. He started whispering to himself but everyone heard him.

"Suffering, you don't know what suffering is. You have a family who takes care of you. You have a mother who treats your wounds when you get hurt and kiss and love you to sleep. You don't know what some people would give for that. You weren't beaten and glared at for your whole life. You didn't have to stay alone your whole life. You weren't almost raped. Be glad what you have. You don't know what it's worth until you'll one day lose it' Sensei I'm not hungry I'll go for a walk for a little while." He said and walked out as the whole room stayed quiet while Inari was wide eyed.

"Sensei what Naruto said it was just to make Inari understand wasn't it?" Sakura asked as Satsuki too gazed at him with a lot of interest.

"No Sakura that was what Naruto faced all of his life personally and that was the watered down version of it. I was there after the night he was beaten for four hours and almost raped and believe me it was one of the worst conditions I had seen a seven-year-old child in and I have been through a war. He was almost going to commit suicide if the Sandaime hadn't come in time I don't know what would have happened. How he stayed sane after that and turn out the way he did it still amazes me. His will is stronger than any I've ever seen." He said as he lowered his head down in shame at the guilt he felt. Sakura cried while Satsuki was wide eyed at what she had heard. She didn't know how he still was so optimistic at heart and wasn't taking his revenge on the villagers as she stood up to go behind him but Kakashi caught her wrist and she glared at him.

"Let me go the loser needs someone right now." She said coldly and Kakashi wasn't fazed.

"Sometimes a person needs to be alone and sympathy and pity only makes things worse. You should know that better than anyone. Let him cool off he'll be fine. Have faith in him." He said and she yanked off her wrist and walked up to her room and he sighed. Inari had run off as Tsunami chased after him when he had finished talking. Sakura too went to her room with Satsuki. Satsuki didn't sleep that night as she thought again and again to what Kakashi had told her.

" _Loser how the hell are you the way you are? Why don't you want revenge against them? Why do you hide yourself behind that mask of yours? Tonight I saw those broken eyes that you hide and they are even worse than mine? How are you still that way?"_ She thought to herself and tried to sleep but couldn't.

Naruto was fighting many of his clones and blowing off his steam as he thought to himself.

" _I shouldn't have lost my cool like that just because a little boy provoked me. Just as the Second Hokage wrote "A shinobi doesn't show his emotions, weakness and vulnerability be known to anyone besides himself. They are what weaken one's resolve and waver his will"._ he recited in his head and popped the last clone with a round house kick as went through hand seals and ended at Tiger.

" **Fire style : Dragon Flame Jutsu"** he shouted and blew a narrow stream of yellow flames as they burnt right through to two trees and he fell unconscious as the jutsu drained every last bit of his chakra.

 _ **Author's notes : There is the next chapter. For now it is going just like canon I know but the story will be a whole lot of different than canon believe me you'll love it. Naruto too will go through serious changes in attitude and personality and the story will have some twists that I want to put in and have some arcs completely done by me towards the later chapters. So keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;)**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

 **Next Morning**

 **The Clearing in the Forest**

Naruto was woken up the next morning with a groan as he saw a beautiful girl in a pink kimono with black hair and brown eyes shaking him up and he woke up. He was irritated that he was so out of it that he wasn't even aware of her until she shook him awake. He looked up and saw that he had slept in the forest and that it was morning.

"You shouldn't sleep out here or you'll catch a cold." She said and he smiled at her.

"Yeah I know I fell asleep from exhaustion after training too much last night." He said as he rubbed the back of his head embarrassed and she giggled.

"Why do you train so hard? I see that you are a shinobi from your headband but you seem plenty strong already." She said and he blushed at the praise and said.

"Yeah well I have to get stronger to one day surpass all the Hokages that's my dream and to help my friend achieve her dreams too. I want to be strong enough to protect myself and everyone precious to me. I want power and to be strong that's my dream to be stronger than everyone so no one can hurt me or my precious people." He said and she smiled.

"Those are good reasons to getting stronger and gaining power. You fight to protect others that's what make you strong. You'll get strong really strong." She said smiling and he blushed again.

"Well why are you here so early this morning miss?" he asked and she smiled.

"My name's Haku and I'm here to collect some herbs to treat a friend of mine who's hurt." She said and he nodded.

"Well then let me help you collect them what do they look like?" he asked and she smiled and showed him an herb and he too got to picking herbs.

 **At the House**

All the people in the house were eating breakfast except Tazuna who had already gone to work on the bridge and Inari who was still sleeping. Suddenly Tsunami spoke up.

"Naruto didn't come home last night. Is he alright?" she asked and Kakashi eye smiled.

"Yes he's a ninja and can take care of himself. Must have fallen asleep outside from training too hard." He said and she nodded. Suddenly Satsuki stopped eating and wrapped up a couple of rice balls and picked up a can of juice from the fridge as she started walking out the door.

"Where are you going Satsuki?" asked Sakura as she spoke without turning around.

"That loser is sleeping out there and is most probably hungry. I'm going to wake him up and give him something to eat before he dies of hunger or gets eaten by wild animals." She said and Kakashi eye smiled at her concern. She wouldn't show it for anyone other than him he knew.

"Well you really care about him don't you?" he asked and she glared at him with a faint blush on her face.

"I don't care about him. We need him to be alright to complete the mission that's all there is to it." She said and opened the door.

"Sure whatever makes you sleep better at night." Kakashi said and she glared at him and walked out. She went through the forest and to the training clearing where they trained yesterday and saw Naruto talking to a pretty girl and felt a pang of jealousy in her chest and hid behind a tree to hear her giggling at a joke he made. She heard her ask him about his whisker marks and grew furious, what was that slut asking that for? She thought furiously and then saw her walk off as she passed by her and Satsuki threw her a death glare as she walked over to Naruto who was in his normal happy mode thinking about something with his arms crossed and was in deep thought. She bonked him on the head as he yelped.

"Hey what did you do that for?" he asked rubbing his head and she just glared at him as he shrunk under her glare and he stood over him like a mother with her hands on her hips.

"You idiot what the hell were you thinking running off like that last night and spend the whole night in the forest? You even skipped out on breakfast, what do you think would have happened if some of Gatou's goons would have found you here knocked out unconscious?" she asked him in a threatening voice as he shrunk further under her gaze.

"And who was that girl just now?" she asked and he looked up confused and then smiled.

"Ah that was Haku-Chan, she woke me up and was collecting herbs for her friend so I helped her." He said and she gazed at him and he shrunk and was nervous as she looked to be undressing him with her eyes and then she sighed and tossed him the rice balls and the juice as he looked at her curiously.

"You didn't have dinner properly last night and trained till you dropped and now skipped out on breakfast so eat up I don't want to be on a team with someone who fainted from hunger and stupidity." She said and he twitched at her last remark but then smiled at her gratefully.

"Arigato I really appreciate it." He said softly and dug in as she smiled a small smile but he didn't notice it as he was too busy eating.

"So why didn't you tell me about what you said last night don't you trust me?" she asked as he finished eating and looked at her with a guilty smile. He didn't like to hide anything from her and she too trusted all her secrets with him and that made him feel all the more guilt.

"No it isn't that it's just that I really don't like talking about that night. It was one of the worst moments of my life and I want to forget that night all together." He said as a tear rolled down his eye remembering the night and she wiped it off with her thumb as he smiled a fake smile at her to reassure her but she saw right through it.

"No need to hide your emotions from me. I can see right through your mask." She said rubbing his cheek as the dam he had kept to hide all of that pain for all the years broke and he broke down as she embraced him and brought his face in the crook of her neck and ran her fingers through his hair. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as he cried. He hadn't cried since that night not even to Inoichi Yamanaka who was assigned for his mental check-up had been able to break his mask. He cried for an hour before he fell asleep in her arms as she put his head on her lap and leaned up against the tree she was sitting at as she smiled and ran her finger on his whisker marks as he purred and she giggled. She knew what bottling up such pain and guilt weighed down on the person and was glad he trusted her without his mask.

Kakashi had seen everything as he was leaning against a tree. He was glad that Naruto let go of the burden after all these years and that Satsuki had made him open up his heart to her. He hadn't even trusted the Sandaime to drop his mask as they were worried about him bottling up such pain. He saw Satsuki playing with his whiskers and giggling like a schoolgirl at his purring and eye smiled. She didn't even realize what she felt for the boy he mused and walked away deciding to give them the day to be alone and would take Sakura with him to the bridge. Naruto really was unpredictable to melt the Ice Princess of Konoha like that he mused as he imagined a new version of Icha Icha Ice Princess Chronicles and giggled perversely.

Naruto woke up three hours later to see Satsuki running her fingers through his hair and sighed contentedly and wrapped his arms around her stomach and buried his face in it and she wrapped his arms around his head and held him.

"Arigato." He whispered and she smiled a little smile and held him even closer to her with her loose sleeves of the white battle kimono completely hiding him within her arms.

"It's alright." She whispered back and Naruto got up after fifteen minutes of staying in her arms and was now sad at losing the warmth and her beautiful vanilla scent and the same thoughts were running through her head as she liked holding him like that though both shook them off. Though both now had faint pink blushes on their faces from those thoughts.

"Alright let's start where we left off yesterday." She said breaking the silence and he nodded both going to the trees laced with their kunai marks from yesterday and started their tree climbing. Both were making almost equal progress and were pushing themselves even harder not to be out done by the other.

 **At the Bridge**

Kakashi, Sakura and Tazuna came to the bridge as Kakashi sat on the side reading his book and put down his crutches by the side as Sakura too came by beside him. They saw as some of the workers came up to Tazuna after a few hours.

"Hey Tazuna we can't work on this anymore. We have families and you too should quit it before Gatou comes here." One of them said as Tazuna turned to them stunned.

"What, but we are so close to finishing the bridge don't quit now." He said pleadingly and they shook their heads.

"Tazuna we have made our decision, you too should come with us think of your daughter and grandson." One of them said to him as his expression hardened.

"I am doing this for them. Go and leave cowards but don't say you did this for your family. You did it to save your own skin. Now get out of my sights." He said coldly as they all left ashamed at themselves by his words as he started working on the bridge and Sakura too came up to help them while Kakashi eye smiled. He too would have helped if not for his crutches.

 **In the Town**

Naruto and Satsuki were walking through the town looking for something to eat and then saw the condition of the down and were disgusted at Gatou for bringing it down to this condition. The houses were on the verge of falling and there were many people on the streets and the stores had nearly nothing except some rotten and old things. Suddenly Naruto felt a tug at his pants and looked down to see a little girl there who placed her hands in front of her.

"Hey mister can you give me something to eat please. I'm hungry." She asked innocently and his eyes watered as he crouched down and the girl was scared that she had offended him and would hit him but instead he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. She too hugged him back happily and he frowned inwardly, she felt so frail and thin in his arms. It reminded him of the days when he would have to starve at the orphanage as punishment and how much hunger hurt.

"Hey don't worry I have some food you can have alright." He whispered and she nodded in his chest. He put her down and took out his storage scroll as he took out some of his sealed food and handed her some bags of chips, some fruits and some chocolates he took with him before leaving the village and she took them and was amazed at what he had given her and threw herself into his arms and cried in his chest as he rubbed her back affectionately.

"Shh it's alright little one there's no need to cry." He cooed to her as she stopped crying and smiled at him. Satsuki saw all of this from the side and smiled herself. He was too kind for his own good she mused as she remembered how he had helped her after the massacre.

"Where do you live little one?" he asked and she looked around and then pointed to an alleyway and now Naruto was confused.

"In the cardboard box there." She said innocently as his heart broke and he asked for her hand as she put it in his hand and they walked to a secluded part of the forest near the river and was near to the village as well. He again took out his storage scroll and channelled some chakra into it. Out popped a tent, a sleeping bag and some camping supplies that he used which was almost new since he didn't really use it much and it was his first time outside the village. He set up the tent and camping supplies for her and took out a blanket too he had and handed it to her as she was looking at him confused.

"You will live here from now on little one until we free the village from Gatou and then find you a place at the orphanage or at some other establishment and I would even pay for your stay there so don't worry of being alone anymore alright. I'll bring you food every day for the time I'm here and don't find you a place to stay." He said and she cried and threw herself in his arms as he held her close and rocked and cooed her.

"There there little one there's no need for those precious tears now is there little one?" he asked and she nodded and wiped away her tears.

"Haruka my name's Haruka not little one mister blondie." She said with a hiccup and Satsuki giggled at his nickname and he glared at her.

"Well my name's Naruto. But you'll always be my little one now won't you Ruka-chan?" he asked and started tickling her and she pleaded for him to stop. Satsuki smiled he was so good with children she mused. Finally, they saw that it was evening and time for them to leave as Naruto had played with her the whole time while Satsuki just sat aside and watched them with Haruka sometimes pulling her with her to play too and she did have to play a few times.

"Alright Ruka-chan it's time for us to go back. I'll see you tomorrow alright and I have made you some dinner and kept it for you in the tent, so I'll see you tomorrow alright." He said and her eyes watered as she threw herself at him and he caught her.

"Hey I'll come back tomorrow don't worry about it alright." He said and she held onto him tighter.

"No don't go what if you don't come back like my mom?' she said with hiccups and he rubbed her back calming her down.

"Ruka-chan I promise you I'll be back and I never go back on my word for that's my nindo my way of the ninja." He said and she clung onto him.

"You really mean it?" she asked softly and he wiped her tears away with the sleeves of his jacket and gave her a smile. She too smiled a little and kissed his cheek and let him go. He felt bad for leaving her alone but he had made some clones and hid them around transformed as rocks and rubble to keep an eye on her and he promised himself it was only for a few days. Satsuki just walked beside him and kept glancing at him from time to time seeing his happy go lucky smile and kept wondering how he turned out like this even after everything he had endured and was a complete mystery to her even after all these years of knowing him she mused.

 **At the House**

Naruto and Satsuki came to the house to see everyone on the dining table and sat down on their chairs facing each other.

"So how was training today?" Kakashi asked though he knew they didn't train too hard as they weren't as exhausted as they should have been. But he mused it was good for them to take a break every once in a while and it would give them a bit of relief from the pressure of the upcoming battle and they trained too hard in his opinion and had to take a break or they might crack under pressure and they might make mistakes when the time came.

"It was alright though we didn't train too much today. We were pretty exhausted from yesterday and decided to take it easy just for today." Answered Satsuki and both Kakashi and Sakura nodded. They trained too much in Sakura's opinion too especially Naruto she mused.

"Naruto will you be able to make some clones to help out Tazuna-san at the bridge. They have a little shortage of workers you know." Asked Sakura and Kakashi too nodded and looked at him expectantly. He was already going to make a clone pumped with enough chakra to last the day for Haruka and leave some clones for scouting around her all throughout the day. That coupled with the clones at the bridge for helping and his own training would leave even him virtually exhausted at the night as he would have to leave some clones pumped full of chakra for the night too he deducted. But the village needed his clones and the bridge to be completed as soon as possible to bring the country back on its feet. Satsuki too came to the same conclusion and knew he would refuse Kakashi as he wouldn't want to be so exhausted for just helping the bridge building. She was broken out of her thoughts as she heard him answer.

"Sure Kakashi-sensei I'll do it don't worry the village needs the bridge and I will help in any way I can." He said and gave a glance at Satsuki to tell her to shut up for now as she was looking at him incredulously and Kakashi eye smiled. Sakura, Tazuna and Tsunami too smiled and thanked him and he just rubbed the back of his head and said it was nothing. He walked up to the porch on the lake and sat down as Satsuki sat down beside him and was about to reprimand him as he spoke up.

"I know what I'm doing and I will help the village in any way I can. I always have had chakra to spare and if it helps them then I'll do it." He said and she replied.

"Even with your stamina doing this much is too much strain even for someone with your stamina. And it isn't a one-day either deal you will have to keep it up for two weeks. Why don't you just say no to them? Why do you go so far for a village you barely even know?" she asked in an annoyed tone and he threw a rock in the lake.

"Because they need help and I can help. I don't care if I know them or not. With the bridge many other children like Haruka and their families can have a nice life and no one should suffer like that." He said and she looked at him stunned. He was willing to do all this for people he barely knew. Now the mystery around him was getting even more thicker and she said nothing and both just sat and gazed at the star filled sky.

"You really are an idiot you know that right?" she asked in a playful way and he smiled.

"Yeah I've been told many times by a certain raven haired bitch." He said equally playfully with an innocent smile and she glared at him.

"Bastard." She said and he chuckled and she too cracked a smile. Kakashi was there behind them leaning against a tree out of their notice and had heard everything. He eye smiled reading his book though no one knew how he read it in the dark as he walked back to the house though he wouldn't spill out that he had heard everything but was proud of Naruto.

" _Sensei he really is your son. You must be proud watching over him now wouldn't you?"_ he thought to himself and walked back to the home.

 **Timeskip Two Weeks**

It had been two weeks ever since Naruto met Haruka that day in the town and he had kept his promise to her and visited her every day. He always left a clone to play with her pumped full of chakra to last the day before he switched himself with it in the evening and left scouts for all day around her and she was happy as hell. She started considering him an angel apparently that her mother used to tell her about and sometimes called him Angel-kun much to his embarrassment and Satsuki's amusement. He left fifty clones every day for helping on the bridge and also trained till he was almost dropping from exhaustion. This was the reason today Kakashi, Satsuki and Sakura were standing outside ready to leave as he was snoring away in the bed.

"Don't you want to take Naruto with you today?" asked Tsunami and Satsuki snorted.

"That loser is exhausted from trying to do everything on his own until exhaustion and is now almost as good as knocked out." She said in an annoyed tone and Kakashi eye smiled.

"Let him sleep in today he has been keeping this up for two weeks now. Send him to the bridge at noon." He said to Tsunami and she nodded as they left to the bridge with Tazuna in tow.

A couple of hours later Tsunami was doing the dishes as the door to the houses burst open and two men with swords came in as they smiled evilly at Tsunami who started throwing things at them.

Naruto woke up in an instant to the sounds of things breaking and Tsunami shouting to Inari to just get back. He stepped out of the window and walked down the wall using the technique he and Satsuki had perfected a couple of nights ago and watched from the window to the kitchen as two men were holding Tsunami and Inari and were taking them out. He instantly created two **Shadow** **Clones** and used the **Henge** to turn them into Tsunami and Inari then used the **Substitution Jutsu** with them and replaced them with the clones.

Tsunami and Inari were surprised as they saw themselves standing beside Naruto after they felt a strange sensation and not in the arms of the thugs. One of the clones dropped a bomb as sleeping gas covered the four as the clones dispelled and the thugs fell unconscious. Naruto went upstairs and changed and got into his equipment as he came down to see Tsunami and Inari there.

"Thank you a lot Naruto-san, my son and I are grateful and owe our lives to you." She said and Inari nodded as he started crying and Naruto put a hand over his head.

"Inari you did great and didn't let them take your mother without a fight. You too have someone precious to protect and now have the will of fire that all great shinobi's of the leaf village possess." He said ruffling his hair and the boy smiled and nodded. Naruto started jumping through the trees towards the bridge as felt a spike of several different chakra signatures there and knew Zabuza and that hunter-nin had made their move.

 **At the Bridge**

Kakashi, Sakura, Satsuki and Tazuna came up to the bridge to see dead bodies of several workers lying around and were disgusted at whoever had done the deed. Tazuna moved to a worker who was breathing his last breaths and asked him who did all this and he replied in a whisper "demon" and fell dead. Suddenly a thick chakra laced mist covered the bridge and they were instantly on guard as Kakashi flared his chakra and dispersed the mist around them as he saw two silhouette walking towards them through the mist from the other side of the bridge. Suddenly everyone heard Zabuza's voice as he and the hunter-nin from before come into view.

"So Kakashi we meet again. Where's the blonde brat from earlier? I kinda liked his style you know?" he asked and Kakashi replied.

"He'll be here don't worry, just worry about us for now." He said as Zabuza chuckled.

"Is that right?" he asked mockingly and created four **Water Clones** and they all got on guard.

"So Satsuki would you like to do the honours?" he asked and she smirked and channelled chakra to the soles of her feet and vanished in a blur of speed as the four clones splashed down in water and she stood there in her stance and Zabuza chuckled.

"Looks like you have got an opponent for speed haven't you Haku?" he asked and she nodded.

"So it seems." She replied and took out senbon needle on one of her hands as Satsuki held a kunai in her hand.

"Sakura protect the bridge builder, Satsuki you take on the hunter-nin, leave Zabuza to me." He said and they all nodded as Sakura stood with Tazuna and Satsuki charged at Haku with a kunai and she blocked with her senbon needle as both went for hand to hand combat. Satsuki slashed horizontally and Haku blocked and went for a punch with his free hand as she twisted around and slammed a kick into her chest and threw her backwards as she smirked. Haku got up and went for the charge as this time they went toe to toe and were suddenly locked in a power struggle trying to overpower the other with their weapons.

"I have two advantages over you that give me the upper hand." Spoke Haku as Satsuki snorted.

"And what would those be?" she asked rhetorically.

"Well for one I have one free hand and for the second there's water all around us that helps me do this." She said as she started going through strange one-handed seals and the water rose up in the air and formed a great number of water needles and Satsuki's eyes widened.

" **Water style : Thousand Piercing Water Needles"** she said as the needles started converging on Satsuki and she used her training to channel a huge amount of chakra to her feet and flew backwards though immediately regretted it as Haku appeared in front of her and slammed a kick to her stomach as she skid backwards on the bridge and stood on a knee panting.

"It's time we finish this." Said Haku as she went through hand seals and suddenly the water around Satsuki rose up and covered her up in a dome of big ice crystals.

" **Ice style : Demonic Ice Mirrors"** she said and stepped into the mirrors and dissolved in it as her image appeared in all the mirrors and she spoke her voice echoing in the dome.

"Please give up. No one has ever escaped this jutsu alive. I do not wish to kill you." She said and Satsuki snorted.

"As if I'd give up to a stupid jutsu like that. Only an Uchiha can beat an Uchiha and I won't die before I have completed my revenge." She said and stood up as Haku sighed.

"Revenge will not help you get stronger or leave this dome alive. Please I say it again give up and I'll spare your life." She said as Satsuki charged at the mirror where her image was and suddenly was cut all over the body as she screamed in agony and fell down with cuts all over her clothes and body.

"See you are no match for me just stay down." She said as Satsuki growled and stood up as she started going through hand seals and ended on Tiger as she breathed in a huge amount of air.

"Oh yeah then take this **Fire style : Grand Fireball Jutsu** " she yelled and launched a huge fireball at the mirrors that melted and cracked a little then repaired themselves almost instantly.

"Fire jutsu of that magnitude have no chance of defeating my kekkei genkai, resisting your fate is futile." She said as she launched another hail of senbon needles at Satsuki as she screamed as more cuts appeared on her body and now had some needles sticking out of her body. She got to her knees and panted trying to think of a way to get out of this dome when Haku spoke.

"Why do you resist? Just stay down and you'll survive." She asked as she growled and stood up.

"Because I won't lose to anyone and I will not die until I have killed him." She shouted and started moulding a huge amount of chakra and again went through hand seals and ended on Tiger.

" **Fire style : Grand Fireball Jutsu"** she shouted again and this time launched a fireball twice the size of the previous one but it still didn't do enough damage to shatter the mirrors as Haku launched another hail of senbons as much more of them cut her and embedded themselves in her body and she howled in pain. As she was on her knees and now nearly out of chakra as she had pumped up two fireballs worth of chakra in the previous jutsu and was now nearly exhausted of chakra. She was racking through her brains for a way out of the dome as she saw Haku come out of the mirror and stand in front of her with needles in both of her hands as she launched them at her and she tried to move but the needles had restricted her movements and knew she won't be able to dodge them in time.

 **With Kakashi and Zabuza**

Kakashi was himself busy with his own fight as Zabuza created a really thick mist that was even restricting his Sharingan and knew he won't be able to see in the mist himself as Zabuza chuckled.

"I have deciphered the secret behind the Sharingan through research that me and Haku did on it. It has two parts one the piercing eye that allows you to decipher anything with the tiniest detail which I have blocked with this thick mist and the hypnotic eye that place one under a genjutsu without even him realizing that I have neutralized by closing my own eyes." He said his voice echoing in the mist as Kakashi dodged a hail of shuriken.

"But then you can't see me either Zabuza." He retorted and expanded his senses as he dodged a slash by the man with closed eyes who vanished again in the mist as he chuckled.

"Who do you think you are talking to? I am a master of the silent killing technique I can kill you by sound alone." He said as Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized he was right but what he said next was what made his blood run cold as he heard Satsuki's scream.

"And your little raven haired princess is as good as dead. No one has ever escaped the kekkei genkai of Haku alive." He said and Kakashi spoke calmly.

"You underestimate my genin. I have faith in them." He said and Zabuza chuckled.

"Oh do tell." He asked mockingly and Kakashi smirked.

"Satsuki is the heiress to the most powerful clan in the hidden leaf village. The kekkei genkai is her birth right." He said and Zabuza's eyes widened.

"You don't mean…" he trailed of. Kakashi continued.

"Yes her full name is Satsuki Uchiha." He said.

"I heard that one child survived the tragedy of the Uchiha clan but she won't survive. Not even I can defeat Haku using that jutsu." He said and Kakashi replied.

"But you forget about Naruto, he too has inherited the sublime abilities of the Uchiha clan." He said and now Zabuza was shocked.

"What the Sharingan but he is barely twelve, he couldn't have enough control over it." He said and Kakashi chuckled.

"Oh he awakened the Sharingan when he was five and it was sealed off for his protection. But after a certain incident a year later he broke the seal and has had five years to gain control over it. They'll be fine don't worry about them worry about yourself." He said as Zabuza growled and swung his cleaver at him nicking him.

"Then I'll finish you off and deal with that brat now. The leaf village has gotten good at keeping such a secret to itself and saving him from the massacre. Maybe I'll take him and sell him off to Kumo for his Sharingan." He said and Kakashi took out a scroll and smeared blood over it and slammed it on the ground as Kanji appeared on the ground.

"We'll just see about that. You won't leave alive to even attempt it." He said as he got ready in his stance.

 _ **Author's notes : There is the next chapter with a small cliff-hanger. I am amazed by the response I have garnered and don't worry and wait for twists and turns in the story just as we conclude the wave arc and a dynamic change of story and personality of our heroes through the story. The reunion is getting closer and the twists in plot are about to begin. I added the part of Haruka as I really wanted to add something like that for quite some time and this was the perfect opportunity. Also it gives a look in the deeper personality of Naruto's heart which will be needed with the changes he will go through in the future. And the romance is also budding slowly but surely. And Sakura won't really be bashed as much since I don't want everyone to be bashed in the story and make it stupid and will have nearly the same useless role as in canon. Keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;)**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

 **At the Bridge**

Naruto came to the edge of the bridge and saw a dome of ice mirrors and was perplexed but his blood ran cold as he heard a blood curling scream and what made him frightened was that he knew that voice all too well. He walked silently and quickly on the railing and saw Satsuki launch a huge fireball after which she was nailed with a shower of senbon needles that he didn't even see due to their speed and scream again in agony as his fists clenched and he unconsciously activated his Sharingan and saw the masked fake hunter-nin come out of the mirrors and stood in front of her as he took out senbon needles in both of his hands.

He saw him throw the needles at her and saw that she was trying to move but couldn't move fast enough due to the pain of the needles and he unconsciously took out six shurikens from his back and launched them at the needles as they cancelled each other out and threw four more shurikens at the masked hunter-nin who jumped back and away from Satsuki as he watched Naruto pick up Satsuki bridal style and jump back as he put her down and his hair shadowed his eyes as started pulling out the needles from her body and she grimaced from the pain and was looking at him through blurred vision as she saw the familiar colour of sun kissed blonde hair and smirked a bit as she grit her teeth and spoke from the pain of the needles being pulled out.

"What took you so long loser?" she whispered out and he rubbed her cheek affectionately not even sad that he gave out his tactical position by jumping in. The thought of her in pain and needing him erased all his doubts.

"Well heroes always come in at the last minute now are you able to move?" he asked and she nodded as her eyes focused and she gazed into his eyes and gasped at seeing the two tomoe Sharingan blazing in both of his eyes.

"Impossible how did you cancel out my attack? My attacks are much too powerful for human eyes to follow. Yet you cancelled not one but all of them perfectly. How did you do it?" asked Haku as he raised his head and pierced into her soul with his Sharingan blazing furiously in all its glory as Haku stepped back a little from the intensity of his stare.

"The Sharingan…" she whispered out as Satsuki was too stunned to say anything as he put her down from his lap after taking out the needles and she stood up as she gazed at his eyes amazed at the kekkei genkai of her clan.

" _So he too has a kekkei genkai, a bloodline trait passed down within a clan through generation in blood. This makes everything different."_ She thought as she stepped into the mirrors and started jumping through mirror to mirror as Naruto tracked her every movement and she started thinking of what to do next.

" _Even now his eyes are tracking me."_ She thought as she threw more needles at him and he picked up Satsuki in his arms and jumped through three different spots dodging the needles but got a couple in each of his thighs because of the weight of Satsuki in his arms his movements were slow even after pumping chakra in his feet. He grimaced and put her down as he created twenty clones as they all jumped at each of the mirrors and he went through 18 different hand seals and ended at Tiger. Haku started jumping through mirror to mirror destroying the clones before they reached the mirrors and was suddenly shocked when she heard a shout and saw an inferno of a narrow stream of flames coming at her and she barely dodged getting nicked in her leg as the flames shattered one of the mirrors and she recreated it by pumping more chakra and jumped into the mirrors again.

" **Fire style : Dragon Flame Jutsu"** Naruto finished with a smirk as he panted from the heavy chakra costing jutsus which were coupled now with his Sharingan.

" _I haven't trained and fought much with these eyes but I can see through her deceptions."_ He thought as he gazed at Satsuki who was on her knees and barely hanging onto consciousness from chakra exhaustion. She just had to get mad and use so much chakra to pump up her speed and launch those fireballs like crazy she mused. She was broken out of her thoughts as Naruto spoke up.

"Satsuki don't you fall unconscious on me, I can't fight and protect you at the same time. We have to get out of here alive. So get up now." He said and she grunted as she tries to stand.

"Well then don't protect me I never asked for your protection." She growled out and fell backwards with a thud. Naruto turned to her and was now worried as he kept tracking the jumping hunter-nin and saw another hail of senbons as he picked up her unconscious body and jumped through five different spots each time getting hit by some senbon needles and was pumping chakra through his legs to increase his speed. As soon as he touched ground he saw senbon coming at him from the front and knew they would hit him and Satsuki and that he couldn't make the jump in time and turned around taking the shower of senbons in his back and grunted in pain as a trail of blood leaked from the side of his mouth and he put her down and stood up panting heavily from the exertion and the hits he was taking. He stepped a bit away from her to keep the fight away from the unconscious girl and kept jumping from spot to spot avoiding all the needles as Haku didn't give him time to counter attack. Haku launched another hail of senbon needles from the front and he took out a kunai parrying all of them as he panted heavily. He immediately made a cross hand seal and summoned another batch of thirty clones and started throwing shurikens nicking Haku several times as he tracked her with his Sharingan.

" _His mastery over the Sharingan is amazing and to think he can still stand after fighting so hard and taking all those hits for his teammate and still have the energy and focus to look for a moment to counter attack is admirable indeed. His will to protect his friend is astounding. I have been targeting his fatal points for a while now but he blocks all frontal attacks. My chakra is running low and he too is on his last legs with all the clones, his swift movements and the constant use of his Sharingan. But I still have one advantage. I didn't want to do this but I have no choice. I have to do this for Zabuza-sama. Let's see how strong his will to protect her really is."_ She thought as she took out another round of senbon needles in her hands.

"You fight well and your will to protect your friend is admirable and you have great moves. But your chakra levels are running low and you are on your last legs now with all those injuries." She said and Naruto smirked.

"You too are on your last legs from the chakra cost of this jutsu that I can see clearly with my Sharingan and the nit-picks I am giving you are wearing you out too so we are both in the same boat." He said with a smirk as she spoke up.

"Indeed you are correct but I still do have one distinct advantage." She said and he narrowed his eyes going through many scenarios in his head as his eyes widened as he realized his mistake a bit too late.

"This." She said as she launched senbon needles at the unconscious Satsuki as Naruto pumped up every last bit of chakra into his legs and eyes he had left and launched a kunai which lodged itself where her heart laid as she didn't have time to react as she had not expected him to throw the weapon at her instead of blocking the needles as he jumped in front of Satsuki and took all the senbon needles head on and smashed his fist in the hilt of the kunai as it was embedded into the heart of Haku killing her instantly and launching her back as she skid backwards and lied down.

"Your will to protect your precious person was stronger than I could have ever imagined Naruto-san. You indeed are a true shinobi. I am honoured that you were my last opponent." She said as the life left her eyes and her mask fell from the lack of chakra that was holding it and Naruto saw the peaceful smile on the face of the girl he met in the forest.

Satsuki opened her eyes and saw the dead lifeless eyes of Haku and the kunai embedded in her chest as she smiled and looked at Naruto was standing with his arms by his side not facing her as she gazed at his back and spoke happily.

"You did it loser. You beat her !" she exclaimed but the colour drained of her face as Naruto turned her face so that his left cerulean blue eye was visible and saw the blood dripping from the side of his mouth heavily dripping on the ground passing through the chin. She saw the skid marks of the blood that Haku made from being skid back by his hit and immediately knew that he had taken the death blow for her.

"Why? Why did you do it you idiot?" she asked as tears streamed down her eyes and he smirked and turned his face upwards towards the sky and smiled contentedly and closed his eyes feeling the breeze flowing through his hair.

"I don't know my body, it just moved on its own. You always were annoying you know that right?" he choked out and coughed out blood as he started falling backwards and she caught him in her arms crying heavily.

"Then why, why did you do it? I didn't ask you to give your life for me? Why would you do something like this for someone like me?" she asked and he raised a hand and rubbed her cheek affectionately as his vision started blurring in and out.

"I promised you that I would protect you and help you get your goal right?" he said as her mind flashed back to the moment he promised her that with a foxy grin on his face.

"Remember complete your goals and dreams but don't give into the darkness. Live happily and achieve your goals, don't let your dreams die. I don't think I'll be there with you to see you through them." He spoke as his hand fell and his eyes closed with a smile on his face as her eyes widened as she tapped his cheek.

"Loser don't leave me alone I need you." She said as visions of her waking him up in the morning and him chasing her as she escaped him.

"Loser wake up please." She said pleadingly as moments of him making her meals and taking care of her when she was ill came to her mind.

"Hey Naruto come on it's not funny anymore wake up." She said desperately as she thought back to the arguments they had and the kiss he gave her on the nose as she bashed his head in came to her mind.

"Please don't leave me alone again you're the only one I have left. Don't go not you too." She whispered crying as the last moment he cried in her arms as held him close to her and he slept snuggling into her came to her mind as she screamed a blood curdling scream to the heavens as her eyes bled red with a tomoe in each eye. Her Sharingan awakening from the anguish she felt.

"Narutooo!" she screamed as the mirrors of ice shattered around her as the chakra dissipated from them making a sparkling vision as she held him close to her.

 **With Kakashi and Zabuza**

"Then show me what you can do Copy Ninja" he yelled and started going through a long chain of hand seals when suddenly the ground all around him erupted and several ninja dogs came out and latched onto him pinning him down as he howled in pain. Kakashi walked in front of him and Zabuza growled as he asked through gritted teeth.

"How? How did you track me even through this thick mist and no sound?" he asked and Kakashi eye smiled at the bound swordsman.

"When you slashed me with your sword I let you slash me so that you got the scent of my blood on you for my ninken to track you and pin you down. Now it's time to end this." He said as Zabuza was shocked at being trumped and fooled like that.

"Let me show you the only jutsu in my arsenal that I personally created. Feel honoured to see it in your last moments." He said and went through three hand seals as he held his left hand out and held his wrist with his right hand as blue lightning circled around him and concentrated in his left hand as he held it in his left hand and glared at Zabuza who trembled.

" _He is holding the chakra in his hand and it is so dense that it is visible. Is this it? Is this the end for me?"_ He thought as Zabuza saw Kakashi charge at him tearing the ground through the chakra as he charged at him.

" **Lightning Blade"** he yelled as he charged at the trembling Kiri nin and stopped suddenly as a blood curdling scream was heard through the bridge.

"Narutooo!" he heard and his eyes widened in horror as they heard clapping through the bridge and both turned around to see Gatou there with an army of thugs grinning.

"Well well look at the demon of the mist." He said sarcastically as the thugs laughed and Zabuza glared at him as the lightning in Kakashi's hand disappeared as he gazed at the image of Satsuki crying and holding onto a lifeless Naruto and a dead Haku as tears rolled down his eyes.

" _Naruto looks like I have failed you again. Sensei please forgive me."_ He thought solemnly as Sakura and Tazuna rushed over to Naruto as Sakura tried to check over Naruto but Satsuki won't let him go.

"Gatou what is the meaning of this?" he asked as he laughed.

"Well Zabuza you are too expensive to pay. I'll take your bounty and those of the leaf ninja that you have weakened for me and then swarm the village with my army and kill the bridge builder myself." He said as the army cheered as Zabuza growled.

"Kakashi it seems we are no longer enemies." He said and Kakashi nodded as the ninken vanished and he picked up his sword and tossed it to Zabuza who nodded gratefully and charged at Gatou at blinding speeds through the crowd of thugs who stabbed him as he cleaved the short man in half and took out as many thugs as he could until only fifty remained as he fell down dead.

"Hey he killed our meal ticket. Let's swarm the village after killing these shinobi, I've heard even dead shinobis are worth a good amount and we already have two dead mist ninjas and a dead leaf shinobi. Then we'll swarm the village." Their leader said and they all cheered as Satsuki stood up furious that they wanted to sell the body of Naruto for money and stood next to Kakashi when an arrow lodged itself in between the two groups as they gazed back to see Inari and the villagers with weapons and ready to fight as Kakashi eye smiled and created fifty simple clones and Satsuki created five as the thugs stepped back in fright.

"Alright who wants to fight?" asked Kakashi and they all ran back to the edge of the bridge and jumped into the boat and ran off. The villagers cheered and were celebrating when a huge burst of demonic chakra released from Naruto as it swirled around him and a feeling of bloodlust washed over the bridge as silence permeate through the bridge.

" _ **You should be grateful to your father you damned brat who tied your soul with mine with that accursed jutsu. If I wouldn't have been taken to the Shinigami too I would have enjoyed watching you die. Be grateful to your father who put me inside you."**_ _The fox said in his mind and pumped his chakra, forcing as much as he could through the tightly bound seal._

The wounds on Naruto started healing as the senbon needles popped out of his skin and colour started returning to his skin as the red chakra made a cloak around his body and then receded. A few moments later Naruto woke up groggily and stood up rubbing his aching temples as gazed at the stupefied looks of his teammates and Tazuna and grinned foxily rubbing the back of his head.

"So what did I miss?" he asked innocently as the whole crowd face faulted except Satsuki who ran up to him crying as he thought she was going to hug him and smiled.

 _SLAP_

The sound rang through the bridge as Naruto turned stunned at the trembling girl who had tears running down her eyes.

"Hey what did you do that fo…" he trailed off as Satsuki crashed her lips on his and wrapped her arms around his neck as he was wide eyed, then after a moment he held her closer wrapping his arms around her slender waist as they kept their lips locked and after a few moments the two broke off and Satsuki buried her face in his chest with a trembling body as his shirt was getting soaked from her tears as he had on hand rubbing her back affectionately while the other was running through her silky raven locks as he put his chin over her head and pulled her close to him.

"I thought I had lost you, that I would be all alone again. Please don't do it again I would have killed myself after burying you. I can't go on living in loneliness and fall into the darkness I need you. Dont do anything like that again." She said in between hiccups and he cooed her and kept holding her.

"Shh I'm alive right now, right? I am not that easy to kill you know. Those little needles won't kill me. At the very least a blast enough to level Iwa would be needed to take me down and away from you." He said playfully and she giggled and punched him in the chest playfully.

"Bastard." She whispered and he smiled.

"Bitch." He replied and both chuckled as they broke off to see the whole crowd staring at them as they came out of their own world and both blushed heavily as Satsuki gained an annoyed look on her face.

"Hey we just freed your country right now, go on and celebrate or something and if you keep staring there might be some villagers short at the inauguration of the bridge. Now buzz off." She said in an annoyed tone as the villagers scrambled seeing her glare with the Sharingan that she activated for a moment before all members of team 7, Tazuna, Tsunami and Inari laughed as they started walking back to the village. Kakashi asked about the battle in the ice dome and after they explained everything he told them the result of his battle and that he was proud of all of them and they all showered and changed into their night clothes. Naruto went to his room and got into his bed and closed his eyes. Kakashi was going to enter the room he shared with Naruto when Satsuki caught his wrist and stared at him.

"Let us share the room for tonight. I want something answered to me alone and want the answers now. You can share the room with Sakura for tonight." She said and he nodded and stepped back. He knew when they explained their battles and Naruto told him he had used one of his "special abilities" that he had used his Sharingan as a last resort and that she wanted answers. But he wasn't going to miss his chance of teasing his cute little genin.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He said and she twitched.

"No one would do half the things you would do with all that smut you keep reading. That's why you don't get a girl and have to read the book you lazy ass pervert." She said and he eye smiled.

"True but you don't have to be that hostile to your sensei. A little respect sometimes would be nice you know." He said and she smirked.

"It would wouldn't it?" she asked and stepped in and he sweat dropped. He wasn't going to respected anytime soon he mused as he entered the room he had to share with Sakura who instantly screamed and threw him out of the window before he could explain.

"Don't get back in here if you value the thing that makes you a man now you pervert." She shouted and closed the window and he brought his hands near his crotch and cried anime tears. No one respected him he thought and now he had to sleep outside.

Satsuki stepped inside and saw Naruto laying down on the Futon and got in with him as she wrapped her arms around his waist and put her head on his chest as she snuggled closer to him. She had slept with him before to sometimes avoid the nightmares she had of the massacre. Naruto was startled and stiffened when someone got in his bed but when he saw the familiar mop of silky black raven hair on his chest he smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer as she snuggled into him.

"Did you have a nightmare again Satsuki-Chan?" he whispered and she shook her head.

"No I wanted to ask you something alone and couldn't wait till morning. That's why I sent the lazy pervert away for the night." She said and he chuckled at the respect she had for his sensei. He knew she hated perverts with a passion and Kakashi with his books all the time wasn't her favourite person in the village he thought.

"So what did you want to ask?" he whispered and she asked.

"Why didn't you tell me of your Sharingan?" she asked and he sighed. He knew this was coming.

"You remember that night that I don't like to talk about?" he asked and she nodded slowly.

"Well I found out that I had it on that night. So I didn't get to tell you about it and was going to tell you after we got back to the village but this happened." He said and she nodded.

"So are you an Uchiha?" she asked hopefully and he shook his head smiling sadly.

"No I asked the old man and he told me I didn't belong to the Uchiha clan but didn't say much of my heritage. When we get back I'll ask him to reveal the truths and then we can find out the truth about these eyes and my connection to your clan." He said and she nodded and both stayed silent for a few moments before Naruto spoke up.

"So you awakened your Sharingan congratulations." He said and she stayed silent and he was confused as to why she wasn't happy.

"I don't like the way I awakened it." She whispered and he was confused didn't she awaken it in the heat of battle? He thought to himself.

"Why? How did you awaken it?" he asked and he felt his shirt get wet and saw that she was crying silently.

"The pain and anguish of seeing your death due to my weakness forced them to awaken." She whispered and he rubbed her back affectionately and she calmed down. He hated her seeing so weak and vulnerable and was himself guilty for making her like that.

"I'm sorry because of my weakness you almost die…" she was cut off as he spoke up.

"Don't apologize, I would do it again in a heartbeat if we were in the same situation again. I don't regret it and neither should you." He said calmly and she looked up at him. He saw an emotion in her eyes that he had never seen before. Warmth. She leaned up and captured his lips as they kissed each other for a few minutes and then broke off as she looked flushed and her face had a rosy pink tint on it her skin shining in the moonlight and she laid her head on his chest again.

"Thank you." She whispered and he smiled and kissed her head and she lulled to sleep listening to his heartbeat and he too fell asleep letting the exhaustion for the day take over him.

 **The Next Morning**

Kakashi came into the house his back sore from sleeping on the roof and Sakura came out from her room feeling well rested as they walked up to Naruto and Satsuki's room and went in and were stunned. There were Naruto and Satsuki in a single Futon cuddling as she had her face buried in his neck while he had he wrapped close to him his arms wrapped around her waist and the blanket covering them to their necks as Sakura thought they looked so cute together and yelled KAWAIII! And Kakashi giggled perversely as Satsuki's eyes fluttered open while Naruto groaned and pulled her closer as she looked through the sides of her eyes and sent an annoyed glare at Kakashi who eye smiled and had to jump as a kunai suddenly went through where his crotch was and he turned as white as a sheet. Satsuki had thrown it so fluidly as to not move as Naruto slept oblivious to everything happening around him.

"Get Out or the next time I won't miss." She whispered in a threatening voice as he gulped and after a moment sweat dropped. Why were his female genin threatening his precious jewels so frequently? The both of them scrambled and ran out closing the door as she buried her face in his neck and fell into a deep slumber with a smile.

Naruto woke up at noon feeling refreshed and no signs of exhaustion in his body as he gazed at Satsuki who was wrapped up around him and smiled. He gazed at the clock and saw that it was noon and thought he should wake her up. She looked so peaceful that he didn't want to wake her up but knew that he had to then had an idea. He leaned down and pecked her soft and supple pink lips as her eyes fluttered open and she smiled.

"Ohayo Satsuki-chan." He whispered.

"Ohayo." She spoke softly and yawned cutely as she kissed him on the cheek and both got up and went down to the dining table both hungry and saw some breakfast resting on the table as both sat down on the dining table and started eating in silence. Kakashi and Sakura got up from the couch and joined them. Kakashi was about to ask them if they were alright from their injuries when Sakura spoke up.

"So are you to a couple now?" she asked suddenly and Naruto choked on his food and Satsuki looked at her annoyed.

"None of your damn business banshee." She said and Sakura glared at her then stared at Naruto who glanced at Satsuki who was also staring at him and shrunk under their gazes not knowing what to do he glanced at Kakashi for help who eye smiled and decided to help his blonde genin out of the situation.

"So Naruto how are your injuries do you need any treatment or medical attention?" he asked knowing that he healed fast due to his tenant and didn't need any medical attention and Naruto nodded gratefully at him for the change of topics.

"No sensei I heal fast I am fine, just had a little exhaustion but a great night's sleep and I'm ready again" he said and he eye smiled and nodded. Sakura forgot about the question and her jealousy for the moment but Satsuki still remembered it. Naruto walked into his room to get ready for the day when he was pinned to the wall courtesy of Satsuki who was glaring at him.

"Are you ashamed of me?" she asked and he looked at her confused.

"No why would I ever be ashamed of you Satsuki-Chan?" he asked cluelessly and her glare intensified as her Sharingan blazed to life and he gulped harder.

"Then why did you dodge the question of the banshee? Don't you like me?" she asked and he looked away not meeting her eyes.

"I didn't think you would want rumours to be spread around the village of you concerning yourself with a clan less orphan like me. I mean I know how the people of the village treat me and you shouldn't associate yourself with me." He said not meeting her eyes as her Sharingan disappeared and she turned his face to her gazing lovingly into his eyes.

"I don't care what anyone thinks. Do you want to be with me?" she spoke softly as his eyes watered and he nodded and she smiled and pecked him.

"Good then don't be ashamed to admit anything about us to anyone alright." She spoke softly and rubbed his whisker marks and he nodded as she let him go and both got ready as they went to meet Haruka.

 **Two weeks later**

 **At the completed bridge**

The bridge was completed faster than expected with the whole village helping out and Naruto there with his clones as Kakashi too crated some clones for help and today was the day that Team 7 had to leave back for the leaf village. Haruka came running through the crowd and threw herself at Naruto and he caught her as she cried in his chest.

"Angel-kun don't go." She hiccupped and he smiled. He had gotten her admitted to a really reputed orphanage nearby the leaf village and they were going to take her there tomorrow and until then Tazuna would take care of her. He had put the expensive fees for the orphanage to the account he used for his weapons that the old man gave him access to and knew he had to talk to the old man about it and would pay for it through his missions pay to repay the old man. He rocked and cooed the little bundle as she calmed down.

"We talked about this didn't we Ruka-chan. You have to stay there and it's a great place they'll take good care of you and you can write to me regularly. I have left my address with them and don't worry about anything. Ask for anything you need there and I'll take care of the money alright. I'll come visit when I can. Now I have to go." He said and she nodded and went back as Tsunami picked her up and he nodded to her with a grateful smile. He had to calm down Inari too when they finally said their goodbyes and left.

"So what should we name the bridge?" Tsunami asked and Tazuna replied.

"I have a name in mind. We'll name it after the boy who changed the hearts of everyone in the village. The Great Naruto Bridge, maybe someday the bridge will be famous when the name of the person it is named after gains fame to be known throughout the world." He said and Tsunami giggled as she watched Naruto going who had his hands in his pockets as Kakashi tried to make him read his book to learn some things he could do in the future and Satsuki and Sakura bashed his head to the ground.

"The Great Naruto Bridge huh? It's a good name." she said and everyone nodded.

"The Great Naruto Bridge it is !" he shouted and everyone cheered as Team 7 walked back to the leaf unaware of the adventure awaiting for them there.

 _ **Author's notes : This concludes the wave arc and the point where the story turns around for what the audience has been waiting for. Next chapter will be a flashback to the things Kushina, Jiraiya and the twins did in their twelve years in the Fire capital and give the readers an idea of the characters' history, progression and personalities of the characters and how Kushina changed her views on her son over the years. The chapter readers have been waiting for is nearing. So keep reading and reviewing. Until next time. Ja Ne ;)**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

* * *

Kushina Uzumaki and her daughters were currently being swept away in a whirlwind of anticipation and nervous energy. They were all currently packing in order to leave the Capital so they could return to the village of her children's birth. The girls were bright-eyed and full of hope, eagerly awaiting to meet their big brother for the first time, but Kushina was more frightened than she had ever been in her life.

'Will Naru-chan be able to accept me and forgive me? I'm so afraid that he won't...' she thought to herself worriedly.

As she was going through the motions of sealing her belongings up, her mind was left free to wander – and her stray thoughts brought her to reflect upon the last thirteen years. Thirteen years…five years of horrible, inexcusable mistakes and eight long, frustrating years of doing all she could to try to be part of her son's life only to be blocked at almost every turn by a very determined and unyielding Hiruzen Sarutobi…

* * *

 **FLASHBACK**

* * *

Kushina walked through what was left of the village gates at the crack of dawn toward the carriage that would take her and her new family to the Capital with her newborn daughters in hand. As she was about to enter the carriage, she looked back and saw Hiruzen standing at the dislodged entryway to the village with a sleeping Naruto in his arms. The sickening disgust she saw in his eyes as he glared at her before he turned his back to her and walked towards the Hokage Tower hurt her immensely. He was the man that Minato respected above all others, and to see him regarding her with such awful disappointment...she could only hope that he would see the truth behind her words one day.

She forgot her pain as she gazed longingly upon the two redheaded infant girls that were fast asleep in her arms, neither of them having a care in the world. She smiled lovingly at them, thankful that despite last night's horrific attack by the Kyuubi, or whatever tragedy might befall her, her family, her village or even her nation, there was still so much purity and innocence in the world. That purity and innocence had to be guarded and preserved for as long as possible. They would be free from worry for now, at least, as despite Hiruzen's anger with her, he still cared enough to provide an ANBU detail to escort her and her babies to the Capital.

The trip took two full days at the slow pace the carriage moved at. During that time, the ANBU hadn't spoken with her, and neither had she bothered to speak with any of them, guessing that they likely felt the same way about her that Hiruzen did. She couldn't fault them for that - they didn't know any better, after all. When they had arrived at the Capital and they had stopped at the Courtyard of the Daimyo's palace, she thanked her escorts, who merely disappeared without so much as a word of acknowledgment, and exited the carriage.

To her surprise, the Daimyo himself was there to greet her and welcome her personally. Feeling honored by the Daimyo's personal greeting, she thanked her Feudal Lord and allowed him to lead her to the Uzumaki Estate grounds within the Capital Proper. There was still quite an impressive staff of caretakers tending the grounds and the house, many of whom Kushina had even known as a young girl, and all of whom greeted her and welcomed her home warmly. All of them gushed over the two baby girls in her arms, commenting on how beautiful they were and expressing their sentiments over how proud Kushina must be of them.

She entered the main house, put the girls down into the double crib that had been prepared for them, and went to settle down in the living room. She allowed herself a smile, despite her sadness at both Minato's passing and Hiruzen's disappointment. All that mattered at the moment was that she and her girls were home, safe and sound, and they would have a happy life and childhood, here.

The twins' first birthday came and went much more quickly than Kushina could have thought possible. Kushina had met the day with mixed feelings. The day would forever be bittersweet to her, and while she would remember the loss of her dearly departed husband and the death of her son by Kyuubi's possession, she was also very happy to celebrate the beginning of the girls' second year of life! She and the girls were very content and comfortable with the luxurious, safe and peaceful life that they were able to enjoy in the Fire Capital.

She had written to Hiruzen, giving him the annual report she promised she would give to him every year detailing her health and the health of the girls, and when she began training them, she would let him know how that was progressing, too. The letter she wrote to him was forgettable for the most part, though she did ask whether he had dealt with the demon and avenged Minato's death yet, or whether he would want her to do it herself.

She had been surprised when, the very next day, she answered a knock on her front door and opened it to a courier ninja. The courier had an official certified letter addressed from the Hokage to her – a letter that she had to sign for! Whatever this was, Hiruzen was sending it to her as the Hokage, not as an old family friend, and he wanted a guarantee that she received it. Signing for the letter and dismissing the courier ninja, she closed her door, took the letter to her kitchen table and unsealed it. As she opened the scroll and read its contents, unlike the letter she sent to Hiruzen, his words would forever burn themselves verbatim into her psyche:

* * *

 _Uzumaki-san,_

 _While it gives me great relief to know that you and your daughters are well, and that you are enjoying the protection of the Daimyo, the Guardian Ninja Twelve and the Samurai Forces of the Land of Fire, your request to murder your innocent one-year-old son is not well received at all. As I informed you last year, your intent towards your son was seen even by your husband in his final few minutes of life, and he took steps to protect young Naruto from you. You dishonor Minato with your evil, twisted desire to harm an innocent – your own son, no less! He must be rolling in his grave with disgust and fury at how far you've fallen, and I have no doubts at all that he would spit in your face if he were to see you now! I myself am thoroughly ashamed and disgusted that I once thought of you as a daughter – no longer._

 _From this day forward, you are my subordinate, and I am your Hokage, nothing more. As Hokage, I hereby prohibit you from returning to Konohagakure no Sato before your son and daughters' anticipated date of graduation from the Shinobi Academy. Exceptions to this executive order will be as follows:_

 _1\. If I summon you back, you are to answer my summons and come to Konoha immediately where you will be escorted directly to my office upon your arrival at the gates. At no time during your visit will you be permitted to walk the village grounds without an escort. At the conclusion of the business for which I summon you, you will immediately be escorted back to the gates and sent on your way, once again prohibited from village entry._

 _2\. If you send me advance notice via official communication of your intention to come to the village, and the date you expect to arrive, you may come to Konoha's gates, but you will be detained at the guard station until an ANBU can escort you to my office so that you can conduct whatever business you will need to conduct with me before once again being escorted back to the gates and sent on your way, once more being prohibited entry without either an official summons from me or advance notice of your arrival._

 _Should you be found approaching Konoha's gates or within Konoha's walls without having met the conditions of either of these exceptions, I will have no choice but to assume that you have come to either harm young Naruto or end his life, and I will have you executed on sight for charges of Treason against Konohagakure no Sato and Conspiracy to Commit Murder of the Namikaze Clan Heir. After your execution, your daughters will be brought back to Konohagakure no Sato to be placed in an orphanage while allowing them to be raised and trained to be shinobi of Konoha._

 _Also, be forewarned, Uzumaki-san: any attempts by you to harm or murder Minato's son through indirect methods, such as assassination, will also result in your execution and the remanding of your daughters to Konoha's orphanage system. As is standard protocol, this executive order has been officially stamped with the Seal of the Hokage and submitted to the Daimyo for his records and perusal._

 _Ordered by,_

 _Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage, Konohagakure no Sato_

* * *

Kushina was stunned beyond belief at what she had just been sent. To think that the Professor that was always so kind to her had written such cold-hearted words shocked her! What was worse, he had not only written this as a letter to inform her that she was no longer considered a friend to him, but also as an executive order from the Hokage that had to be obeyed or she would suffer legal, and perhaps corporal ramifications! He had even used her last name instead of her first name to address her in the letter!

She knew that the grounds for which he stated her punishment being immediate execution were clearly plausible. Bijuu chakra or no, the demon that fit Naruto's description was classified as a jinchuriki under the letter of the law, and to top it off, he was also the legal heir to the Namikaze Clan, and even she couldn't legally defend herself against charges of treason and conspiracy against a Clan heir. Despite the righteousness of her feelings and the justice of her path, her hands were tied, and as much as she hated that demon wearing her son's skin, she loved her daughters that much more.

She gritted her teeth in anguish, a few tears escaping her eyes before she was able to force them back down. She penned a response back, stating her intention to visit Konoha tomorrow to speak with him directly. Once completed, she informed the nearest maid that she had business in the Capital, and asked her to tend to her daughters until her return. It was three hours later that she received an official acknowledgment from Hiruzen via messenger hawk stating that the gate guards would be expecting her arrival tomorrow and that she would be provided an escort to his office.

She left for Konoha early the next morning, once more leaving her children in the care of the Uzumaki staff, taking to the trees to travel quickly and arriving in three hours. As told, she was detained at the gate to wait for an ANBU to escort her to the Hokage's office. It was a male, hawk-masked ANBU that arrived to escort her to the Hokage, taking her to him via shunshin. Even the tone of his letter hadn't prepared her for the cold fury and near-hatred that Hiruzen was now bearing down upon her. The meeting was quick, and the point driven home that she would receive no special favors of any kind from the Hokage due to feelings of past kinship. He had told her, in no uncertain terms, that while he couldn't officially declare her an enemy of Konoha, he now personally regarded her as one. She was escorted back to the gates and left the village very unsatisfied.

A week later found Jiraiya at her door. Having been stricken from the Toad Contract, he now had to manage his spy network directly by travelling and meeting with contacts himself. He had left Konoha to do this, and had informed Kushina that a visit to her and the girls would be a pleasant stop along the way. Of course, he needed to travel around the world and do his research, which he also informed her of without any shame, prompting her to pummel him into the ground.

It was during this visit that he noticed Kushina wasn't herself.

"Kushina, what's the matter? You haven't been acting like yourself since I got here," he expressed with concern.

With a sigh, Kushina answered, "Sandaime-sama has forbidden me from returning to Konoha before it's time for the girls to become genin unless I'm either summoned by him or unless I have business there that I have to inform him of beforehand. He's…" she continued sadly, "…he's basically ended our friendship and says that he now regards me as his enemy because of that demon."

"I see," Jiraiya offered with a sigh of his own, "Well, that's not something I'm about to get involved in. I know how you both feel about the situation, so I'll just leave it alone."

"Thank you, Jiraiya. I really appreciate that."

Coincidentally, during the third day into Jiraiya's visit, Tsunade and Shizune also came by the Uzumaki Estate. Sarutobi had informed Tsunade of Kushina's relocation for the time being, so she decided to stop in for a visit to her three god-children. Kushina was about to speak up about Naruto not being her godson anymore, but Jiraiya stopped her with a firm grip on her shoulder and a stern glare while he shook his head in the negative slightly.

"So I've seen the girls, but where's Naruto?" Tsunade asked happily.

"Well, Tsunade," Jiraiya answered, "Sensei wanted the boy to remain in the village so that he could bond with it the same way his old man did. It was Minato's dying wish."

While confused at such an explanation, Tsunade chose to accept it, such as it was, and didn't bring the matter up any further. All of them simply enjoyed spending time together and bonding with Kushina's redheaded toddlers, who surprised them all by taking their first steps in their presence!

Another week had passed, and Jiraiya, Tsunade and Shizune all prepared to leave, Jiraiya to his business, and Tsunade and Shizune to theirs. Jiraiya had promised Kushina he would return by the girls' fifth birthday so that he could start training them with her.

"Wait a minute, Jiraiya. What about Naruto's training?" Tsunade asked innocently, not noticing the darkening of Kushina's eyes, nor the icy frown on her face.

"Don't worry about that boy," Jiriaya retorted with his usual bluster, "He's got the old man to look out for him and train him. He'll be alright, he won't need me!"

Tsunade, once again confused as the attitude Jiraiya was taking towards Naruto which was so different from his attitude towards the girls, just nodded, but she narrowed her eyes in suspicion at him before taking Shizune and going on her way.

Once she was out of sight, Jiraiya turned to Kushina, all pretense gone, "I only lied to her so that I could help you save face, Kushina. You do realize that Tsunade would cut any and all ties with you just like Sarutobi-sensei did if she were to learn the truth about your abandoning the boy, don't you?"

"That demon isn't Naruto! He's the Kyuubi!" she shouted at him in frustration.

"Do you really think she'd buy that?! I don't, and I can tell you for a fact that she won't, either! Now, I won't cover for you, again. Bear that in mind, Kushina."

Kushina simply bristled in anger, but chose to say nothing.

Jiraiya pulled his scroll onto his back and gave his goodbye, "I'll see you in four years."

And with that, he walked out of the Uzumaki Estate, departing the Capital for places known only to him.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK END**

* * *

Twelve years since that last visit by Tsunade, and eight years since Kushina had realized her gross mistakes and wrongs, and she still angrily asked herself how she could have not only been so stupid as to jump to the conclusion that Naruto was the Kyuubi without properly inspecting his seal first, but so evil-hearted as to not want to even entertain the hope that Naruto was still alive and well. What had come over her during all that time? To this day, she still found herself wanting for an answer. She only knew that there was no excuse for it.

She continued to pack up the things she would be taking to Konoha with her, completely unaware that a certain Hokage was reflecting back on those turbulent days as well.

* * *

 **Konohagakure no Sato**

* * *

'It won't be long, now,' Hiruzen Sarutobi mused to himself morbidly, 'Kushina will be coming back here in a few months with her daughters once their training is completed to her and Jiraiya's satisfaction. What the hell am I supposed to tell Naruto about all of this?'

Hiruzen had made a good many mistakes and questionable judgment calls regarding Naruto – judgment calls and mistakes over what to tell him, what not to tell him, how to handle the knowledge that he'd been keeping from Naruto for all of these years, all for his own safety and to keep him as stable as he possibly could, given the poor boy's circumstances.

Thinking of Kushina made him think back to that day he gave Jiraiya the photo of baby Naruto with his seal exposed – the day which would mark the beginning of his own mistakes regarding the boy and his mother…

* * *

 **FLASHBACK**

* * *

Hiruzen was in his office going through the usual paperwork he dealt with. It was a month before Naruto's fifth birthday, and he was still working to fit in time to celebrate it with him. His train of thought was interrupted as Jiraiya came in through the window. Sarutobi quickly looked at him and nodded, not even cracking so much as a smile.

He could tell that Jiraiya was perplexed. After all, he usually smiled at seeing his former student but just couldn't bring himself to do so after his last disappointing encounter with him on the night of Naruto's birth. Of course, he knew that Jiraiya would also likely attribute it to the pressure he must be under with the work of the village. But the truth was that Hiruzen had lost almost all respect for his student and eventually came to realize that, while he had trained three great shinobi, they were lousy people. Of the three of them, Jiraiya was the only one that had continued to give Hiruzen any hope, and that hope was dashed on the night of his successor's children's births. Now, he regarded all three of them as nothing more than failures and disappointments.

"Hey old man, how's it going?" Jiraiya asked jovially.

"I'm doing fine, Jiraiya," he responded in a near-monotone, and asked, "How are you?" without even bothering to look up from his paperwork, not noticing Jiraiya's grin.

"I'm doing great! My research is coming along well and I'm excited to train the twins after their birthday when I return to Kushina. Unfortunately, I won't make it back to the party in time and I'll miss all those beautiful noblewomen," He whined, to which Hiruzen sighed and just shook his head in resignation. Jiraiya hadn't changed at all over the years.

"Hey, how's the kid…what was his name?" he asked with a finger on his chin.

Hiruzen stopped moving his calligraphy brush at this. With an annoyed and disappointed grimace, he slowly looked up at Jiraiya and responded in quiet disbelief, "Seriously, Jiraiya? 'What was his name'? Do you seriously mean to tell me that your late student's family means so little to you that you can't even remember the name of your own godson?"

"Huh?" Jiraiya responded cluelessly before retorting with indignation, "What do you mean? I do care for Minato's family. I've always made sure to keep tabs on Mito and Narumi!"

"Really, now? And if they didn't tie in to your Almighty Prophecy, would you still care as much?"

Jiraiya frowned darkly and asked in a low tone, "And just what is that supposed to mean, sensei?"

Unfazed, Hiruzen proceeded to rebuke his student, "Jiraiya, your late student's family means far less to you than this prophecy does, which has given you an overwhelmingly overinflated sense of self-importance! The only reason you even remember Mito and Narumi's names is because you're convinced that they're the Children of this Prophecy, and I only know that because training them and their relation to the prophecy is all you ever talk about!"

Hiruzen then added sarcastically, "Minato must be looking towards you from the afterlife with such pride, especially with how much you care for his son, 'What was his name'."

Jiraiya's dark frown left his face after that, replaced with a frown of utter shame. Before he could say anything else, Hiruzen spoke up, "But to answer your question, 'Naruto' is doing fine, although he's a very lonely boy. He hasn't been able to make any friends at all because the adults in the village keep their children away from him."

"Oh…well, I'm glad to hear he's okay. And I suppose he'll make friends in time…" Jiraiya offered, though his shame and a sense of doubt could be heard in his tone.

"He takes after his father," Hiruzen told him, bringing Jiraiya's gaze right to his with a saddened expression, "He's the spitting image of him, and not just in his looks. He's also inherited Minato's genius-level intellect as well. In fact, I would dare say he's an even greater genius than Minato was. If I could do so, I'd take him as a student of my own," Hiruzen's eyes narrowed in resignation, "God knows it would be nice to have a student that didn't end up as a failure and an utter disappointment as a human being like the three of you did."

Jiraiya's sadness became laced with hurt at Hiruzen's claim. He'd seen that look on his sensei's face before, though. Hiruzen had all but given up on his former students.

Jiraiya began to look around the room looking for something to latch his sight and thoughts on to. He saw a picture of Naruto when he was a baby in Hiruzen's arms on his desk and picked it up. Naruto was in his diapers and the seal on his stomach was clearly visible. Jiraiya, now intrigued, narrowed his eyes and began to do a visual inspection of the seal in the photograph. The complexity of the seal was far beyond anything he had ever seen. Minato had outdone even the greatest of the Uzumaki Sealmasters by combining two such strong seals along with several minor ones perfectly, and had synchronized them to perfection. In his last moments, Minato Namikaze had indeed created his masterpiece.

"Hey old man, I am taking this picture. I'd like to study the seal on Naruto. Do you mind?" he asked and Hiruzen nodded.

"Take it. I have copies. I'll put another one here," he said.

Jiraiya nodded and left through the window, not even saying goodbye. Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed once more. Only one word seemed to fit for all of the people once connected to Minato Namikaze – disappointment. And these twilight years of his life seemed to be filled with nothing but disappointment, with Naruto being the only bright spot in it.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK END**

* * *

As much as Hiruzen hated paperwork, he was actually finding it a welcome distraction to the impending dilemma that would blow up in his face if he didn't take steps to start resolving it.

* * *

 **Fire Capital**

* * *

Kushina had finished packing her bedroom, and was now sealing up her kitchen goods. Her cast-iron skillet was still as beautiful and black as the day she had first acquired it. She'd taken very good care of it and used it to cook countless meals for herself and her girls. But with that thought, she began to think of all the meals she had never cooked for her son. It was when she was preparing this particular pan for use that the horrible truth had been made known to her…

* * *

 **FLASHBACK**

* * *

It had been a month since Kushina had thrown the twins' fifth birthday party and she had started training them. She had been trying to teach them how to unlock their chakra, and even with her guidance, the twins had just succeeded this morning. That had to be some kind of record. She was currently starting to cook dinner, having just turned on the stove, heating up her cast-iron skillet so she could make a stir-fry. It was as she was doing this that she heard Jiraiya barge in through the front door and bellow a greeting.

Kushina turned off the stove and ran out of the kitchen to greet him, smiling as she saw him for the first time in almost four years. She tackled him in a hug as he also threw his arms around her and spun her around in a couple of circles.

"Oh, wow, it's good to be back here!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"I'm glad you're here now, Jiraiya," Kushina offered, "I'm just getting dinner ready, and I'm sure you're hungry!"

"You have no idea."

Kushina called in Mito and Narumi, introducing them to their "Grandpa Jiraiya". Both of them managed to find a place in his heart quite easily as he got on the floor with them and played with them until diner was ready. The meal was pleasant, with Jiraiya getting to know the two excitable little redheaded rascals. It was shortly after the meal was over that Kushina declared the girls' bedtime. Both of them groaned but complied, knowing better than to argue with their scary mother.

Once they were in bed and asleep, Kushina began talking to Jiraiya, who was smiling fondly over his time with the girls, once again, "I've had one hell of a time trying to teach the girls. They're both a bit slow – definitely more physical than cerebral, if you get my drift."

Jiraiya's smile quickly faded upon hearing this, replaced by a melancholy frown as though he'd been reminded of something painful.

"What's the matter?" Kushina asked him, concerned.

"Hey Kushina, I need you to take a look at something," he answered before pulling a couple of pictures out of his pocket and handing her one of them.

Kushina examined the picture she was given: it was a blown-up image of a very complex seal. She looked at it critically, not understanding what he wanted her to do.

"Study that seal carefully, Kushina…" Jiraiya instructed, "…and tell me what you see."

She did as she was asked, studying the seal very carefully. It took her almost half an hour to determine the full capabilities of this seal. She even had to pull out some paper and a pen so that she could take some notes to keep from missing some of the functions. It wasn't just a seal, it was a magnificent work of art! Even the seals on the girls's stomachs didn't compare to what she was looking at. It was far beyond anything she was capable of – she would dare say that no Uzumaki had ever made a seal so complex or so perfect. She had seen the Uzumaki Clan's works on seals, and none of them described anything that was as complex as the seal in Jiraiya's picture.

"It's amazing the way the seals in this array are all synchronized, even with the two high-powered base seals. This could seal off anything the seal master wanted and it would work perfectly. I don't think I could even begin to replicate this!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"What would you imagine the limits of that seal being?" Jiraiya asked

I don't think it has any!" Kushina exclaimed, "Looking at it, I'd imagine it could seal all nine of the bijuu into one host and still have enough power for more!"

"So then, this is a seal you would trust without a doubt?"

"I would trust this seal with my life! If…" Kushina's voice saddened, breaking slightly, "…if only this seal had been used with Naruto – I'd still have my son."

"Kushina," Jiraiya began sadly, letting out a heavy sigh before handing her the second picture and telling her, "That IS Naruto's seal."

Her eyes went wide in dumbfounded, fear-filled shock, "What…what did you just say?"

"This seal was Minato's last work – his masterpiece," Jiraiya explained, pointing to the second picture – a picture of Naruto as a baby with his seal exposed, with Hiruzen cooing at him while he appeared to be giggling happily, "He put it on Naruto to seal the soul and body of the Kyuubi completely, making sure it had no chance of ever taking over his own son. I was surprised myself when I saw this picture in Sensei's office but…Minato really outdid himself with this one. Hell, he outdid every seal master I've ever heard of when he made this."

She stood up in horror and took a step back only to collapse a moment later, her legs refusing to hold her up. Her eyes began to well with tears of horror, anguish and torturous remorse. How could she not have seen the complexity of the seal that night she had checked the triplets? She remembered back to the night of their birth, the ripping of the bijuu from her body, and the emotional distress of Minato, knowing that he was taking his dying breaths. She hadn't even bothered to study the seals at length until she'd made it here. She didn't notice the intricacies of the seals at first glance; she had just stabilized them with her chakra as quickly as possible.

"No…" she whispered out in utter horror, her tears beginning to fall. Five years! Five years where she could have had her son with her there! Five years of precious moments and memories – thrown away!

"No…" she whispered out again, putting her hands to her mouth. She'd never remember seeing his first steps!

"No," she groaned out. She'd never remember hearing his first words!

"No!" she began to raise her voice as sobs began forcing their way up from her throat. Five years of missed birthdays – missed presents – missed chances to tuck him into bed and kiss him goodnight! She didn't even have a clue as to how he was living, or if he was healthy and happy, or if anyone was taking care of him!

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" she yelled with her eyes clenched shut, her voice completely broken as her sobs gave way to bawling. She clutched the picture of Naruto to her chest as she did this, hanging her head and almost collapsing to the floor if not for Jiraiya moving fast enough to catch her and hold her to himself while she wept uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry, Kushina," he offered. He simply didn't have the heart to remind her that he and Sarutobi had told her of what she was just now acknowledging – that Naruto was in fact her son, that he was alive and well, and that he'd never been possessed by the Kyuubi at any point in his brief life.

"Oh my God, what have I done?!" she wailed, "My baby, my Naru-chan! I left him alone, I abandoned him! I…" she cried even louder, "…I even threatened to kill him! What have I done?!" Her cries became so forceful that she lost the ability to form words. Her wails and bawls were such that her body heaved up and down with each sob that forced its way out.

This went on for almost half an hour before Kushina had cried herself hoarse. Jiraiya marveled at the fact that the girls had remained in their room fast asleep – Kushina must have placed silencing seals in the rooms so that their rest wouldn't be disturbed from any errant noises around the house.

"Oh God…" she whispered with renewed horror, "…what would Minato think of me if he could see me now? What would he say to me?!"

"Kushina, Minato already knew this would happen," Jiraiya explained, "Sensei told me that Minato saw how you looked at Naruto and he took steps in case what he feared to be the worst happened."

"And…" Kushina sniffled, "…it did. I did the worst thing imaginable. I abandoned his son…MY son."

In a sudden burst of determination, she wiped away her tears and stood up, moving towards her door as Jiraiya watched on in confusion.

"Where are you going, Kushina?" he asked.

Without stopping, she answered, "I need to send a message to Konoha by messenger hawk. I'm going to tell Sandaime-sama to expect me tomorrow morning!"

"You're gonna WHAT?!"

"I'm bringing my baby boy home!" she fired back, opening and closing the front door as she left through it. She was back a few minutes later, and Jiraiya had just waited for her return in the living room.

"Kushina, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Jiraiya asked warningly

"It doesn't matter if I do or not, I'm bringing my Naru-chan home! I'm going to apologize for not being there and I'm going to do whatever it takes to make it up to him! I won't let him stay alone anymore! As soon as I get the message, I'm leaving for Konoha!"

Both of them stayed up throughout the night. It was a couple of hours before dawn that a messenger hawk delivered a response from Sarutobi, stating the usual conditions.

Kushina stood up and prepared to leave the house once more, "I'm heading out, Jiraiya. Take care of Narumi and Mito for me. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She left the house before he could say anything more, speeding her way to Konoha as fast as her legs and the treetops allowed.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 _ **Author's note : There is the first part of the flashback. ncpfan has been a great help in the flashbacks as well as working out the kinks in the story, I really appreciate your help. Anyways the flashback will be another chapter and then the reunion everyone's been waiting for. Let's see how well it goes. I hope this gives better insight to the characters and how it affects Naruto in the plot. There have been many PM for adding Haruka a bit more and I will add her more in the story but it will a little later in the story. Keep reading and reviewing until next time. Ja Ne ;)**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

* * *

 **CONTINUED FLASHBACK**

* * *

 **Konohagakure no Sato**

* * *

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon as Kushina arrived at Konoha's gates. They looked a fair sight better than they had when she came four years ago, and even the damage caused by the Kyuubi that night was completely repaired without any trace of it ever having been there. She checked in with the Gate Guards, who had indeed been expecting her arrival, though not quite so early, and waited there for her ANBU escort to the Hokage's office.

She only waited a few minutes, surprised that Sarutobi was awake and at work this early. It had just passed six o'clock, and the village as a whole was still asleep. The ANBU took her shoulder, and without another used Shunshin to get himself and her to Hokage Tower.

Hokage-sama, escorting Kushina-sama to your office as ordered," he said. With a nod of acknowledgment from Hiruzen, the ANBU vanished.

Hiruzen's eyes hardened as they focused on Kushina. He asked coldly, "What business brings you here, Uzumaki-san?"

"Hokage-sama," Kushina greeted him formally with a humble bow, surprising the man, "I have realized how badly I messed up when I abandoned my baby boy all those years ago. I'm asking…" she got to her knees and bent her hands and head to the floor, "…no, sir, I'm begging you: please let me see my Naruto-chan so I can bring him home."

A growl from Sarutobi's throat caused Kushina to lift her head. Despite the tears that were beginning to fall down Kushina's face, the Hokage's eyes remained steadfast in their iciness, "After what you pulled, both that night and the year afterwards, you expect me to suddenly believe you've 'seen the light' and now want to make up for your mistakes?"

"I understand your doubts, Hokage-sama. I don't blame you for having them. But Jiraiya showed me the seal Minato put on Naruto – he made me study it in depth – and I could see that there's no chance of the demon taking over. Please, Hokage-sama, let me bring him home, or at least let me bring my daughters back here so that we can live together in the village with him?"

"No, Uzumaki-san. I can't do that. More to the point, I won't do that," he said. She flinched at his tone then became desperate.

"Please give me back my son, I'm begging you! Please, Hiruzen…" he glared at her when she used his name, but she didn't stop, "I need him just as much as he needs me! Please, I'm begging on my knees here! Believe me when I say I love my son," she said in tears.

He sighed, rubbing his temples as his will wavered.

"Even if I do believe you, Uzumaki-san, it's not that simple. He has experienced some rather traumatic incidents in his life recently, and I can't in good conscience burden him with the truth of your abandonment. It could break him completely in the condition he's in right now. No, Uzumaki-san, I won't let you anywhere near him – for his own safety. I pleaded to you before you left and again for a year in letters that he needs his mother but you refused to hear of it. Why should your pleas move me now? The truth is that I'm not sure if I even want to let him know you exist before it's time for me to reveal his heritage to him and fulfill my promise to Minato," He said and she looked at him, her tears falling even harder now.

"What do you mean by 'traumatic incidents'? Tell me! What happened to my son?!" She asked and his eyes hardened.

"What happened to him is the direct result of your abandonment of him and leaving him here! Now, I've heard and said enough. This conversation is over. Leave, Uzumaki-san, our business is concluded. Tori, Neko," He said as she tried to plead more but he released the privacy seals and flared his chakra as two ANBU came in the room kneeling.

"Escort Uzumaki-san to the gates and send her on her way," he ordered the two.

Before he or the ANBU could act, however, Kushina stood on her feet, planted herself into the floor using four chakra chains with several more flailing through the air around her defensively, and flooded the room with extraordinarily powerful killing intent, causing the ANBU to wretch and even making the Hokage sweat a bit.

"HIRUZEN SARUTOBI, I WILL NOT BE DISMISSED SO EASILY AND CASUALLY! IF YOU WANT TO SEND ME TO IBIKI MORINO WHEN WE'RE DONE HERE, THEN I'LL GO WIHTOUT RESISTING, BUT I'M NOT LEAVING OR MOVING FROM THIS SPOT UNTIL YOU'VE GIVEN ME THE TIME I DESERVE FOR MAKING THIS TRIP, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!" Kushina shrieked out at him at the top of her lungs through tears of anguish and frustration, shocking him with her furious determination.

Hiruzen used some of his own killing intent to match the pressure Kushina was exerting with hers. He stood to his feet and glared at her with determination that was just as unyielding as hers. Studying her, and seeing that nothing he could say or do would persuade her to leave without either giving her what she wanted or putting up a fight that wasn't worth engaging in over a matter of his time, he gave a resigned sigh.

"Tori, Neko," he addressed his agents, "Stand down and return to your posts."

"Sir, are you sure?" Tori asked his commander in an even tone, though his doubts as to his Kage's safety could be heard in his question.

"I promise you that I will not attack him and I don't mean him any harm," Kushina tried to assure the two ANBU in the room, her tears beginning to lessen.

"I'm sure, Tori," Sarutobi answered the ANBU's question, "You may stand down."

Both Tori and Neko nodded, saluted their Hokage, and vanished from sight.

Sarutobi returned to his seat as well and clasped his hands together in front of him, "You may also stand down, Kushina," she sniffled as he used her first name for the first time in four years, "I will hear you out, but surely you must know that I cannot allow you to have custody of Naruto."

Kushina grit her teeth together in anguish, her tears beginning to renew themselves. She allowed her chakra chains to dissolve and recede back into her body. She once again fell to her knees and bowed her head and hands to the floor.

"Please, Hiruzen," Kushina pleaded, "Tell me what to do. I know you don't trust me and you think I'm an evil monster, and you're more than justified to feel that way considering all I've done. But tell me what I can do to earn back your trust! Tell me what I can do to show you that I've changed, that I truly do understand my sins and atrocities and that I want to atone for them and redeem myself! Please!" her last plea was yelled out as her voice broke through her sobs once again, "Tell me what I have to do to get my son back so that he doesn't have to have suffer anymore!"

Despite the anger and animosity Hiruzen felt towards the woman who was currently kneeling prostrate before him now, he could deny that she was genuine and sincere in the desires she expressed. Could he maybe give her a test of sorts? Could he not give her the benefit of the doubt right now? But at the same, could he afford to? And how would this affect poor Naruto?

"Kushina, please lift your head," Hiruzen requested in a conciliatory tone. When she had done so, he gestured with his hand, palm face-up, to get off her knees and stand before him.

When she rose to her full height, Hiruzen began, "Kushina, you're putting me in a very difficult position, here…" she nodded to show she understood as he continued, "…one that doesn't have a simple, easy answer. I'm sorry, but I can do and tell you nothing more that concerns Naruto…"

"That's unacceptable!" Kushina interrupted him, "I won't leave this spot until I at least have more than I came here with! If you want me gone, you have to give me something!"

"And why should I give you anything at all, Uzumaki-san?!" Hiruzen demanded testily.

"I get that you can't allow me to take Naruto, and I know and understand why. But can I meet him, at least, even if I don't reveal myself to him as his mother? Can I try to start building something – ANYTHING – with him at all, even if it's only from a distance?! Please, Hiruzen, give me a little hope, here!"

Hiruzen lowered his gaze in thought for a few moments before closing his eyes and sighing. He wasn't sure what to do at the moment. He absolutely would not trust Kushina with Naruto's well-being. She abandoned him and wanted to kill him; she didn't deserve a chance to do anything with Naruto or for him as far as he was concerned. But still…he knew a despondent parent when he saw one, and one was definitely standing in front of him at that moment.

Hiruzen took another deep breath and let it out in a slow huff, "The incident he was involved in was an attempt on his life…" she gasped in shock, causing Hiruzen to narrow his eyes at her accusingly, to which she just looked down in shame, as he continued, "…and that attempt landed him in the hospital for a week. It happened on his birthday while you were no doubt celebrating with your daughters without so much as a care in the world!"

Kushina began to sniffle and heave at the hard truth behind Sarutobi's words as he continued, "Kakashi and I were able to get to him in time and I executed those involved…"

"Thank you," she interrupted gratefully, before he narrowed his eyes once more.

Hiruzen picked up where he left off, "…but given what's happened to him, how do you think he'll react to finding out that he has a mother out there who abandoned him to such a life? Do you think he'll take it well? Do you honestly think he'll be able to trust you, or have any kind of affection for you at all? He'd demand to know why you left him to die – how do you think he'd react to the news that you not only left him to die, but you wanted to kill him, yourself?!"

Kushina began to sob with each accusation Hiruzen presented to her. It was true – she had done those things, and she had no excuse for it. Even if she had, she wouldn't allow herself any excuses for it.

"I understand…and you're right. I wouldn't want to do anything that would harm him anymore, even if it means I need to keep my distance. At least…" Kushina began to plead again, this time more quietly, "…at least, can you tell me about him? Can you help me to at least start getting to know my boy?"

Hiruzen simply looked at her sadly for several seconds before nodding slowly, "He's quite a lonely boy. He tries very hard to keep an optimistic attitude and see the very best in people…" Kushina began shedding silent tears as she listened to him explain, "…he's a natural-born sensor, and he has been for quite a while now."

Kushina's eyes went wide with surprise and awe at this revelation. Awakening a sensor ability at such an early age?! It was unheard of! Was Naruto a natural-born prodigy?!

"And what I'm about to tell you…" Hiruzen warned, "…is something you must not reveal to anyone at all under any circumstances. Not to your daughters, not to Jiraiya, not to anyone. Do you understand?"

Kushina nodded staunchly, showing that she understood how grave the information she was about to receive was.

"When he was attacked, Naruto awakened his Sharingan…" he told her matter-of-factly, "…the youngest person on record ever to do so."

"Minato's genes run strong within him, then. You…you must be quite proud of him. I…I can't help but feel proud of him right now, even though I don't deserve to."

"Well, yes, I'm quite proud of him, but I'm also immensely saddened for him at the same time. The only way the Sharingan can be awakened is either through intensive training or through a direct threat to the life of the one who carries it. He shouldn't have had to awaken it yet!"

His firmness reminded Kushina that she was not in the man's good graces in any way. She closed her eyes and allowed a few tears to escape her ducts before reopening them and watching on, paying attention to Hiruzen's account of her son.

He continued, "He…" a sad yet wistful sigh escaped Sarutobi's lips, "…he's almost a carbon copy of his father. And I don't simply mean in his appearance. He has his father's genius as well – teaching himself to read at the age of two, being able to learn and understand concepts far beyond his age, even now, I've already started him on learning about chakra theory…" Sarutobi leaned forward, allowing a small smile of pride to cross his features, "…and he understands what he's reading, if you can believe that."

Kushina grimaced in anguish and heartache at this. To think that while her daughters took after her, Naruto took after his father…it elated her to think about it, but it hurt so much to think that she'd never been there to see it with her own eyes.

"Naruto idolizes his father, Kushina," Hiruzen admitted to her quietly, bringing her to further tears, "He even chanced upon a picture of you when you were pregnant with him…" this brought a whimper from her throat as she brought her hand to her mouth, "…and he couldn't stop talking about the beautiful red-haired woman that his idol was married to, and that she must have beautiful daughters…"

Kushina's legs gave out from under her as she collapsed to her knees, overwhelmed with regret, heartache and self-loathing. Her sobs became wails. She'd had such disgusting and wrong thoughts about him, and yet he had nothing but wondrous thoughts about her and the sisters he didn't even know he had. She fell to the floor, sobbing and crying, mumbling through her tears about how evil she was and how she didn't deserve to live.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Hiruzen kneeling with a sad yet cold expression, as though he was truly saddened for her but couldn't bring himself to comfort her or feel the slightest bit bad for her.

"Can I…" Kushina began, "…can I start sending letters and gifts for you to give to him for me?"

"Gifts, certainly," Hiruzen replied, "Letters…?"

"I can write them in a way where I don't give too much information to him. I want to tell him I'm his mother and that I'm sorry for what I've done to him, but I can leave my name off of it, and I can also not tell him exactly what it was I did – at least, not until he's ready to know. Please?"

Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed, "You can send them. I'll consider whether or not he's ready for them."

"Thank you, Hiruzen," Kushina offered, "I'll…I'll trust you to know when he's ready to hear the truth about me. But please, I need to know if there's any way I can be worthy of your trust again. I don't want to have to wait until he's a teenager before I can meet him and introduce him to his sisters. I want to bring him home."

"Only time will tell," Hiruzen told her plainly, "He should be at home right now. I recently got him his own apartment. I'll allow you to get a glimpse of him from the rooftop across the street from his apartment before I take you back to the gates. It's the best I can give you right now."

"Thank you," she gratefully expressed, hugging him on impulse, "You can't imagine how much that means to me!"

* * *

 **Fire Capital**

* * *

Kushina sped back home, wishing she could have brought Naruto with her, but grateful for what concessions Hiruzen had made to her. The old man did as he had promised, allowing Kushina her first glimpse of her five-year-old son – and as it should have been on the night he was born, she immediately fell in love. Just seeing him and watching him as he read, studied and cooked for himself brought her to tears once more. How she longed to go down into that apartment and sweep him up into her arms. How she yearned to hug him and kiss him all over his face, telling him how truly sorry she was and how much she loved him. How she ached to bring him home with her and surround him with the love of his family.

It was not to be, as Hiruzen brought her back down to reality by ending her time in Konoka and personally escorting her to the gates to see her off. She had returned to the Fire Capital by late afternoon, and had now entered the Uzumaki estate. As soon as she entered, Jiraiya came up to greet her, but saw a tear-stained face, and no little boy in hand, though she had a sad yet hopeful smile. He could see that while she hadn't gotten what she wanted, she'd been able to walk away with Hiruzen having given her something.

She washed her face, put on a smile for her girls whom Jiraiya had brought to greet their mother and welcome her home, and began to cook dinner for her family, thankful for her loved ones, but wishing she could be cooking for her son as well. Jiraiya knew better than to press the issue, and the girls were just as clueless as they ever were, something she found herself to be quite thankful for at the moment.

It was the next morning, before the girls were to be woken up for breakfast, that Jiraiya come to Kushina and asked about her meeting with the Hokage. She explained everything that took place to him – about Hiruzen's refusal to allow her near Naruto, about the attempt on Naruto's life – which caused Jiraiya to flinch – though the things Hiruzen asked her to keep to herself, she did. She also told him about laying eyes on him for the first time since his birth, and what she was going to do for Naruto from that day forward.

When she was done, Jiraiya asked her, "Kushina, when are you going to tell the girls about him? And what exactly are you going to tell them?"

"I'll tell them when I think they're ready…" she answered plainly, "…and I'll tell them everything. I won't leave anything out."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Jiraiya asked warily, "I mean, you don't know how they'll respond to what you have to confess to them."

"They deserve to know. How they'll react to me isn't what's important. But I have faith in them to take it all in stride."

"Well…okay then. If that's what you want to do, I won't stop you when the time comes. Just…just be careful, okay?"

She smiled sadly at him and nodded. Before she prepared breakfast, she had a letter to write to her son. She could only hope that Hiruzen would see fit to give it to him. It was another letter that she could recite from memory after having written it…

* * *

 _Naruto, my son,_

 _I can only imagine how confused you must be by reading a letter being written to you by someone calling you their son. But it is true, sweetheart. I am your mother. I know this must cause you to ask so many questions, and I'll try to answer what questions I can anticipate you asking, okay? But I can only tell you certain bits and pieces of my story because of the deal I've had to make with the Hokage. Please don't blame him for it, baby – he's only watching out for you, and he truly loves you and has your best interests in mind. Even though he and I aren't close or on good terms anymore, I trust him completely with regards to your safety, and I don't think anyone can keep you safer than he can._

 _I can't tell you my name, yet. You'll know when we meet one day, and rest assured that we will meet. You even have siblings that you'll meet when you meet me. I expect to be permitted to return to the village at around the time you'll be graduating from the Academy, there. The reason I'm not there with you, and you're not living with us, is because I've done some very, very bad things, and all of them were about you. I can't tell you what they are yet, but I want you to know that I regret them all and I'm deeply ashamed of myself for even thinking of them, much less actually doing them. When we meet, I will confess every wrong thing I've done that involved you and I'll then beg you to forgive me for them, one by one. I won't ask you for forgiveness before then, because I believe that a person needs to know just what they're forgiving a person of before they can forgive that person._

 _I also want you to know that I won't make any excuses of any kind to you for my wrongs. I should have known better, and deep down I did know better. Despite all of this, and despite the hurt and heartache you must feel right now, I want you to know, sweetheart, that even though I don't know you yet, I love you with all my heart, my Naru-chan. I'm crying with regret and shame even as I'm writing this, wishing I didn't have to, and knowing that I have only my own stupidity and misguided feelings to blame._

 _My absence is not in any way your fault, please know and believe that. You did nothing wrong, and you didn't deserve to not have a loving mother to keep you and raise you. I don't really know how your life has been in Konoha – I only know that the Hokage told me about an incident of some kind you were involved in. I can only guess that you've been hurt, maybe quite badly, and for that, I'm also truly sorry. It's my fault, because all of it could have been prevented had I just done the right thing on the night you were born._

 _Even aside from that, as your mother, I will always regret not seeing your first steps or hearing your first words. I will always regret missing all of your birthdays, and even the things that you have yet to accomplish, but that I won't be able to be there for. But I want you to know that you're going to be getting mountains of birthday presents from me from now on! I'm also going to send you presents and things for all of the great things that I know you'll do._

 _Even though Hiruzen (that's the Hokage's first name if you didn't know) forbade me from finding you when I was in the village last, he did tell me some things about you – things that made my heart leap for joy and swell with pride, but also broke it at the same time, because it reminded me of just how badly I messed up with you. He tells me that you take after your father, which makes me very happy. You do look so much like him, honey. But Hiruzen also tells me that you're a genius just like your father was, maybe even more so! If that's true, then I have so many scrolls of great jutsu and other shinobi tools that you'll be able to make great use of, and I will definitely be sending those along for Hiruzen to give to you._

 _Your siblings both take after me, sadly – they're more physical beings and learners, and while they aren't stupid, they aren't exactly that smart, either. They can't learn so many of the things that I want to be able to teach. But you can, sweetheart! I can't wait for the day to arrive where I can actually teach you those things: things like sealing, swordsmanship, specialized chakra techniques of our family – I can't say more than that because I fear you're smart enough to figure out who I am if I give you more information, and Hiruzen believes you're not ready to know my identity yet._

 _Naru-chan, no matter what anybody tells you, please know and believe that Kaa-chan loves you. And your father loved you more than anyone in the whole world. I can't wait to find out more about you, and I can only hope that I'm allowed to return sooner than your graduation date. I promise I will do all I can to show you my love from the distance I have to keep for now._

 _Please sweetheart – be strong. Make sure you eat lots of healthy food, even your vegetables. Take your bath every day, and make sure you get yourself to bed on time so that you can get plenty of sleep for the day ahead. Make friends – you don't need many, a few is enough. Make sure you study your ninjutsu, okay? And above all, please never forget that you have a kaa-chan out there who loves you very, very much._

 _I love you, son,_

 _Kaa-chan_

* * *

Once completed, she asked one of the maids if she could start on breakfast while she took care of some business in the Capital. After sending the letter off via messenger hawk, she made her way home and began to think long and hard about what kinds of gifts she wanted to buy her son to send to him.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK END**

* * *

Kushina continued packing the kitchen as she reminisced over her time spent there – time where she missed Naruto's childhood, but smiling at the things she had learned of him through Hiruzen's continued correspondence. She thought about her frustration with the girls' training over the years, and she couldn't help but compare it to the sheer euphoria of learning about the things she could teach to Naruto when she got the chance.

Sadly, the joy she felt at the idea of teaching Naruto was sometimes tainted by news of Naruto being attacked once again, especially on his sixth birthday.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK**

* * *

 **Fire Capital**

* * *

Jiraiya and Kushina had been training the twins for a year now, and it became more and more apparent that they took more after their mother than their father – something that now both scared Kushina and made her feel ashamed. She began to fear that they would react to Naruto the same way she had, just following their impulses and not taking the time to really think things through. Her fear was compounded by the fact that neither of the girls was as intelligent as she was, and they were also a good bit more impulsive.

She had tried to teach them about battle strategies and deceptions in the shinobi world, but they lacked the attention span to learn such subtleties. They were both headstrong, "beat'em up first and ask questions later" types like she used to be. They had also inherited her fiery temper and brash personality, along with the dense chakra that she had. But while their chakra was quite dense, their chakra control was beyond abysmal – a dilemma she couldn't understand. It wasn't surprising for jinchuriki to have poor chakra control due to their reserves, but their control was almost negligible, and nothing that Jiraiya and Kushina tried could seem to improve their control.

In addition to their dense chakra, the mixing of the Kyuubi's Yin and Yang chakra respectively into their coils brought problems of their own. The control needed to keep the demonic chakra from bursting forth unrestrained wasn't there due to the absence of the thousand-year-old soul that was sealed within their brother, which was needed to filter and regulate such potent, dangerous chakra – chakra that did not belong to them. Kushina and Jiraiya had tried to teach them any chakra control exercise they knew, even the ones that they thought were more advanced than those their age should be practicing: the leaf exercise, surface-sticking, water-walking – nothing worked, and all that their efforts showed were leaves ripped to shreds, potholes on walls and trees, and a lot of waterlogged clothes. The girls had no apparent concept of the word 'restraint', and their short tempers didn't help them, either.

Needless to say, Kushina knew it was going to be a long and tedious path to get them to master even the basics. She and Jiraiya began to take a different approach, and started training them in her clan's style of taijutsu: the Uzumaki's Swirling Fist, which relied on the weakening of an opponent first through the use of seals or other long-ranged attacks, such as water-style ninjutsu or her Adamantine chains, and then going in for the kill. It was based on strength and force, designed to take down an opponent by going on the offensive and landing fierce strikes. The downside was that the Swirling Fist had almost nothing in the way of defensive techniques, which was the style's greatest weakness. For most Uzumaki, however, this weakness was negligible, as their skill in sealing is what provided the defense that they needed. And therein lay another crucial problem.

She had tried to teach the girls sealing, but it just didn't take. Neither of them had the patience needed to learn the subtleties of the complex art, nor to develop the necessary skill in calligraphy. What was worse was that neither of them had inherited the Uzumaki Clan's natural talent for the art. They didn't care – it wasn't flashy enough for their tastes – something that once again saddened Kushina to no end. She had tried to convince them how powerful seals were and had showed them some, but the only ones they were interested in were exploding tags and storage seals – and even these were difficult for them to follow or understand. Kushina spent the day where she realized they wouldn't progress beyond those two basics in virtual mourning.

Jiraiya had started to teach them basic ninjutsu and was their personal taijutsu sparring partner. He himself had no particular taijutsu style, being a bit of a brawler himself, except for the frog kumite taught to him by the toads - which was now useless to him due to his eviction from the toad clan and his loss of Sage Mode. He had taken bits and pieces from many of the styles Hiruzen tried to teach him in his younger days and crammed them all together in a style that worked for him. The only advantage he had was that he was very unpredictable, though any taijutsu master would likely tear him to shreds, and a user who had experience fighting his style would give him a very hard time.

Kushina had not given up on reaching out to Naruto through Hiruzen – sending letters to Hiruzen on an almost weekly basis, asking for any news on Naruto he was willing to impart upon her, whilst occasionally asking him to reconsider allowing her to meet Naruto and bring him home. His answer was always "no", but the more often they corresponded, the more cordial Hiruzen's letters became, and the more hopeful she felt.

It was two days after the kids' sixth birthday when she had received a particularly distressing letter from Hiruzen: Naruto had been attacked again, and this time the sick monsters who attacked him attempted to sexually molest him! He warned her not to return to the village, as he and Kakashi had prevented any harm from coming to Naruto and once more, her presence there would do Naruto no good. But he'd also informed her that Naruto had been traumatized by the attack to such a degree that he couldn't even distinguish Hiruzen from his attackers. He even went as far as to beg to be let go so he could end his own life, just because he didn't want anyone hurting him anymore!

Kushina had to be forcibly stopped by Jiraiya from ignoring Hiruzen's warning and speeding over to Konoha, determined to get her baby boy out of there. Jiraiya had to slug her quite hard to calm her down and bring her to her senses, before telling her that his sensei would still execute her if she was in Konoha without authorization! She went to her room, cried herself out, and returned to the letter to finish reading it, dreading the rest of its contents. But she wanted to know all she could about her son, and these letters were the only way for her to do so. To her relief, while troubling, the rest of the letter wasn't so alarming.

She had learned that almost all of the clans of Konoha had attacked Naruto at one point or another – only the Uchiha had not! She would have to express her gratitude to the Uchiha Clan properly when she returned to Konoha. The other clans? She would be paying their leaders personal visits – and she would be out for blood!

The rest of the letter was of a much more positive nature. Naruto had encountered seals recently, and was completely and utterly fascinated by them! Already, he was practicing calligraphy, and he could even make working explosive tags and storage seals! And he was only six years old! He had inherited both hers and Minato's talents for sealing! Oh, how she couldn't stand waiting to be able to teach him everything she knew!

She was also told of his first week at the Academy – it was rough for him, as most of the children there had been told by their parents that he was a worthless clanless loser who had been abandoned by BOTH his parents. This made her very, very angry, and she resolved to pay a few parents of Naruto's classmates several personal visits once she was back in Konoha. She was sure that she could get a list of Naruto's old classmates after he graduated. And if any of those parents were the same clans folk that she would be visiting already, then they wouldn't escape her with their lives.

On a brighter note, he had made a fast friend in Satsuki Uchiha, her old friend Mikoto's daughter! Apparently, he was rather taken with her, and she liked him quite a bit as well from what the old man could gather. Such a thought made her smile while also causing her protective motherly instincts to rear their ugly head – she hadn't had time with her son yet, and no little floozie was going to steal him from her, dammit, best friend's daughter or otherwise! But regardless of their possible future together, she was thankful and glad that Naruto had a friend his age who would be there for him.

She had already sent along some chakra weights, a bokken so that he could begin kenjutsu training if he wished, and five thousand ryo to Hiruzen so that he could buy Naruto some new clothes and any of his favorite foods for his birthday, as well as any gifts he would think Naruto might like. She also sent him a birthday letter, wishing him a happy birthday and letting him know that she thought about him every single day. She had also baked Naruto a birthday cake during the night while the girls slept and sent it, sealed up in a scroll, to Hiruzen for him to pass on to Naruto so they could enjoy it together – she had made a note to ask him to enjoy it on her behalf since she couldn't be there to eat it with him. She would send any training materials to him that he would need once she found out what it was he was most in need of.

* * *

 **FLASHBACK END**

* * *

And thus the years had passed – with Kushina never relenting in her attempts to petition for readmission into Konoha to live with her daughters and to bring Naruto home, as she didn't want to separate him from the few people who truly cared about him. She had taken enough – she wouldn't dare to separate him from people that loved him and people that he loved in turn.

The gifts she sent never lessened either. Large sums of money, sealing supplies, and the gifts she considered the greatest prizes: the Uzumaki sealing volumes! The girls would never be able to use them, and she knew that Naruto would devour their contents and make great use of them. Thirteen years old, and already he was on his way to being a seal master! She was still having trouble getting the calligraphy right at that age, and she was better than most Uzumaki were! Even Minato hadn't been that good as sealing when he was Naruto's age! On top of his birthday gifts, she had also sent him a graduation present: an Uzumaki chakra katana that she had forged herself! And there were always the letters – letters telling him how much she loved him, how proud she was of him and of what she heard from Hiruzen, how she couldn't wait to meet him again and flood him with so much of her love that he'd get sick of it!

He had also become quite proficient in the Namikaze's style of Taijutsu: the Hummingbird – a style which relied on speed, agility, great defense and counterattacks, acrobatics and precision, a wondrous style to behold that took full advantage of the genetic gifts of the Namikaze, particularly their reflexes, speed and coordination. The thought of Naruto learning his father's taijutsu style made her smile with pride, but it also made her heart ache that she wasn't there to help him learn the basics.

It was one thing after another with why she couldn't return. If it wasn't Naruto being attacked, it was the occasional mental breakdown like when he had wanted to end his life on his sixth birthday. If it wasn't that, then it was instability of another kind – sometimes rage, sometimes depression. And if it wasn't a problem on Naruto's end, it was a problem on hers, such as a new update from Jiraiya about this Akatsuki group who were seeking the power of the Tailed beasts and would surely come for the girls to take their power, so they would need additional training in the relative safety of the Capital. But whatever the reason for her inability to return was, learning of the mother who had abandoned him and wanted to kill him as a baby would undoubtedly make things worse for Naruto – she understood that, but it didn't stop her from trying to get authorization to see her baby boy.

Hiruzen had also sent pictures of Naruto to her as well at different moments in his life – pictures that she treasured like nothing else. Pictures of him in Hiruzen's arms as a little bundle giggling and pulling his hat as the Hiruzen was cooing him, him as a three year old running through the hallways of the Hokage tower, being chased playfully by Hiruzen with his hat and his pipe and a book that made her want to castrate the man, him with Haru and the Ichiraku family with Ayame holding him, him sitting on the Hokage monument on his father's head with Hiruzen in the back standing with a hand on his head, pictures of him at various stages of his years at the Academy, and finally the most recent picture of him Hiruzen, Haru, Ayame and his favorite teacher Iruka-sensei at Ichiraku's ramen stand with Naruto wearing his Konoha headband showing him to be a genin of Konoha! Tears had streamed down her face the first time she saw his graduation picture. She marveled at her son and how much he resembled Minato.

Despite all of the letters she had sent him, she had never told him her name, nor what exactly her sins against him were, and she would often think and fret over how she would talk to him and apologize, just what she would say, and if he would even listen to her. As often as these thoughts would come, she would shake them out of her head and renew her resolve that whatever he would decide, she would deserve it after what she did to him, and she would accept it. In her fear over his response to her, she would never admit to anyone that some thoughts of committing seppuku came to her mind sometimes. She never went through with it – after all, she couldn't abandon the girls the way she had abandoned Naruto, and she couldn't leave this world without giving it everything she had to atone for her sins against Naruto. She certainly wouldn't ever be able to face Minato in the afterlife with such unresolved sins.

Kushina and Jiraiya had finished packing up and were both ready to go. The girls would finish up soon, but it was late, so they would sleep tonight and move out for Konoha first thing tomorrow morning. Kushina had trained her daughters as best as she could, and though she had expected to need another year after Naruto had graduated, and had written to Hiruzen to tell him as much, their training had finished earlier than she needed, and she decided it was time to go back. Jiraiya had agreed, saying now he could take a break from the spy network since the village had gained back much of its strength and reputation.

As Kushina was preparing for bed, she began to reflect on how the girls had progressed in their training over the years. The basics had to be drilled into them constantly, as they were both rather slow learners. She was not surprised, however, when she saw their affinity towards chakra-intensive ninjutsu, both of them having a decent number of techniques in their repertoire. They were both highly proficient in the fundamental techniques of the Swirling Fist, but the advanced katas were still beyond their current abilities. True mastery of the style is something they would never have due to their lack of desire and ability to learn the sealing arts, but Kushina would at least make sure that they could use the style to a sufficient degree of proficiency to be able to take on any non-Uzumaki adversary.

Her thoughts took a tangent back to Naruto for a brief moment. She looked forward to teaching him the Swirling Fist, as unlike the girls, Naruto could attain full mastery of it if his skills in sealing were to be believed. She could only hope that maybe seeing Naruto master the style to a degree that they could not might impress upon the girls that sealing is a skill worth taking the time to learn, as a true master of the Swirling Fist could stand toe-to-toe with any ninjutsu user without using any ninjutsu of their own – the Swirling Fist was indeed that fearsome when used the way it was intended.

Kushina grew nervous about returning to Konoha and introducing Naruto to his family. The girls had known about their brother since they were seven years old, and thankfully they forgave their mother once she had admitted everything. Both of them had cried over the fact that they never knew their brother, but they believed Kushina when she told them she was doing literally everything she could in order to bring Naruto home to be with them. Every single picture that was sent by Hiruzen, she would show the girls and Jiraiya. While Jiraiya never seemed too impressed with him, the girls couldn't help but gush over their brother as though he was the greatest boy ever born. Narumi even had Kushina make copies of his most recent pictures for her…Kushina smiled and giggled as she thought about the crush that Narumi had developed on her brother in the last couple of years when she would catch her fawning over those pictures and blushing when she didn't think her mother was looking.

She didn't doubt their love for their brother, but what concerned her was their pride bordering on arrogance due to having everything handed to them freely. She knew that Naruto knew no such privilege, and should the girls say the wrong thing to him, it could have disastrous consequences, and possibly destroy their chances of building any kind of family connection with their brother. Naruto had suffered – he had suffered beyond what any human being should ever have to suffer, and certainly more than anyone else ever had the right to inflict upon him. All the girls had ever really suffered as children was a bit of bullying at the park.

They were seven years old. Kushina had brought the girls to the park, as she would typically do to reward them after a long week of training. After she left their sight for a little while, some older children of relatives of the Daimyo had cornered them in a secluded part of the park, backing them up against the trees as all of them laughed at their terrified expressions. They started to belittle them saying they weren't princesses, and that their hair made them look like tomatoes. One of them started pulling on Narumi's hair, causing her to cry out and whimper in fear and pain. Mito stood up for her, but was trembling in fear, unable to get them to stop. When their mother came for them, all the boys ran off.

Kushina held her girls to her as they cried into her chest. Suddenly Narumi lamented that other than her and Mito, she had no one to protect her if they weren't there, causing her to cry harder. But then Kushina told them that they had their brother to rely on back in the village and that he was really strong. Narumi had stopped crying and smiled as she imagined her big brother saving her and gently leading her back home.

Mito wasn't sure if her brother would ever risk his life for them and promised herself that she would get stronger to protect herself and Narumi if something like that ever happened. She too wished that her brother would save her, but wanted to be strong enough not to rely on anyone and Narumi promised Kushina that she would get stronger for protecting herself and show her brother that she too was strong. Mito's strength and skill were higher than Narumi's and they were the strongest in the capital their age, which again had caused Mito to become quite arrogant, and Narumi only less so, though she still retained her bubbly personality unlike Mito, who thought herself above everyone.

Kushina could only hope that the girls would learn humility soon enough, and that it wouldn't have to be a painful lesson as it was often wont to be. She let her thoughts drift off as she laid down to sleep. Tomorrow would be a big day, and she couldn't see any ending that wouldn't be difficult or painful, so they would all need all the energy they could get.

They had taken to the trees early the next morning, Jiraiya going on ahead to report in and prepare Hiruzen for their arrival. When they were a few miles out, Kushina and the girls dropped from the treetops and took to the road, moving at a more casual pace.

"So, Kaa-chan," Narumi asked with a blush on her face, "What do you think Naruto-nii-chan will be like? Do you think he'll like me?"

Kushina giggled at Narumi's implied question, though she answered it fairly, "Narumi-chan, I think Naru-chan is going to love a bubbly and pretty little sister like you. You too, Mito-chan…" her face and voice became somber as she continued, "…it's how he'll react to me that I'm worried about."

Mito tried to encourage her mother with a determined grin, "Don't worry Kaa-chan! Naruto-nii's bound to forgive you with how much you love him now. And if he doesn't, then I'll beat him black and blue until he does!"

Kushina suddenly turned on Mito in anger, her hair rising and flailing like nine tails of fury, "YOU'LL DO NO SUCH THING, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!"

Both Mito and Narumi were quite taken aback at this. Rarely had their mother been angry with them, and never had it been to this degree.

Kushina explained herself, "Girls, listen to me! Naruto has been through a lot in his life. He has suffered things that the two of you couldn't even begin to understand, and he has suffered them all his life! He hasn't been treated well by the village at all, which is actually why I've been fighting so hard to bring him home over the years! I don't expect him to welcome us warmly at all! In fact, I'm preparing myself for the worst, and if he does end up blowing up or even attacking me, I will not retaliate or respond in a negative manner! And neither will the two of you, understand?! Mito, don't you even JOKE about something like that ever again!"

Both of the girls just looked back and forth between their mother and each other, not knowing what to say. The rest of their trip was made in silence, the mood somber and oppressive. Kushina's fears as they approached Konoha's gates only became more pronounced, even to the point where the girls seemed to catch them as well, lumps rising in both of their throats as they became nervous about what might happen upon meeting their brother in a couple of hours.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes : There is the end to the flashback and we can move up to the reunion. Thanks for the support guys and now comes the reunion along with the changes Naruto's life goes through. Keep speculating and guessing what might happen in the reunion and let's see who comes the closest. Leave your comments in reviews as they always help a lot in improving the story. So until next time keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;)**_

 _ **PS : This chapter has a great deal of help done by ncpfan. i thank my friend for all the help he is getting the fic and plot to perfection.**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Naruto: Abandoned Child**

* * *

 **On the Road Back to the Village**

* * *

Team 7 was walking back from their mission to Wave, thankful for the peace and quiet that accompanied them back after all the action that went down during the mission. Kakashi had talked to Naruto last night about his first kill, and he had told Kakashi that he just felt cold and empty. He didn't feel any remorse or anything else for what he'd done – he felt nothing, just numb. He admitted to feeling like a monster for killing Haku in cold blood the moment it happened, though. Kakashi reassured him that it was alright, that what he felt was normal, and that he did it to save Satsuki and to protect others. Those things were the proof he needed that he was no monster.

Naruto remembered the serene, calm smile on Haku's face, and her last words rang through his head almost constantly. In a moment of overwhelm, a silent tear dropped from his eye as they walked on, making their way back home at a leisurely pace. He felt a hand intertwine his own, and looked over to the person holding it. Satsuki gave him a sad, tender smile and wiped his tear away, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze as Naruto too intertwined his fingers with hers, smiling back in gratitude and giving her a single nod of his head.

Sakura, upon seeing this, wasn't happy with the way they had quickly become so close over the last few days. She found herself feeling somewhat jealous of Satsuki, though she didn't exactly know why. It wasn't as if she was developing feelings for Naruto…was it? Hoping to be able to rein in her jealousy, she walked over to Kakashi.

"Kakashi-sensei," she began, her tone ice cold, "Isn't it wrong for a shinobi to show any kind of affection towards his teammates on a mission?"

Taking note of her icy tone, Kakashi looked up from his book to see Naruto and Satsuki ahead of them, holding hands and making small talk. He noticed that they were giggling softly together and smiling. He eye-smiled at Sakura knowingly, seeing plainly the jealousy that was in her eyes. He mused to himself that this was certainly quite the interesting development, and it would serve as a good test for the team's ability to work together even in unfavourable situations and for their ability to be able to put personal feelings aside for the sake of completing any mission they might find themselves on.

"Well, Sakura, while it is against the rules of the shinobi code of conduct to let your emotions interfere with your duties or the completion of your mission, it isn't wrong if it doesn't affect either of those in any way. And since we're returning from a successful mission now, it is completely fine for them to do anything that they please. And shinobi don't always do everything by the book you know," he said, and she nodded with a frown, still staring at the both of them. Naruto and Satsuki fell into a comfortable silence as all four of them walked to the village at a peaceful, leisurely pace.

"So…" Satsuki asked hopefully, "…will you take up the Uchiha name after we get back?"

She had been asking this of him ever since that night they spent together.

With a tired sigh, he answered, "Satsuki, we've been over this. We'll talk to the old man after we get back. He has told me that I don't belong to the Uchiha Clan, but I am related to them in some way. I'll ask him about my father and make him tell me, just as he promised, and then I'll be taking up his name."

"Okay," she replied sadly, nodding slowly as she fell into a discouraged silence.

Naruto saw her depressed face and now felt bad. When he unwrapped his hand from hers, she looked at him confused, when he suddenly wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her close. She gave a slight squeal of glee and put her head on his shoulder.

Naruto leaned down towards her ear and whispered into it, "I know how much this means to you, Satsu-chan. I was going to save this as a surprise, but I'm going to get a small Uchiha Clan symbol embroidered on the back of my jacket. After all, I do have the Sharingan, and I would like to honor my own ancestry and heritage by wearing your clan crest."

She blushed as his breath brushed past her ear and nodded with a joyful smile, her head still on his shoulder. He smiled with her as she snuggled into him, and they kept walking at a serene pace. Kakashi smiled behind his mask at the duo and how Naruto handled the volatile raven princess with such ease.

Meanwhile Sakura, who was fuming on the inside, felt herself growing madder at not being able to hear what they were whispering. She just didn't understand why Naruto was so nice to her, even after how she saw her treat him, and he still took care of her like a princess! She too wanted to be treated like that, and she had been nothing but nice to the blond ever since he had helped her in the bell test, but he always saw her as a friend and nothing more. She started to think about her feelings for Kiba, and saw now that it was nothing more than a crush. He treated her as if she was simply some civilian girl who was not worth his time.

'I want someone to take care of me like Naruto does Satsuki,' she thought with venom in her mind, seeing her snuggling with him as he had his arm wrapped around her waist.

Kakashi noticed the increased agitation in the glare she was sending towards the new couple, and he knew that the excellent teamwork that he and Naruto had created would be destroyed. He sighed sadly and put his head back into his book. They all continued walking down the road, Naruto and Satsuki so absorbed in each other that they barely noticed as the gates of the village came into view, while Kakashi and Sakura both smiled with relief at being back home.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in Konoha…**

* * *

 **The Hokage's Office**

* * *

Hiruzen was doing his paperwork when suddenly Jiraiya came into his office through the window.

"How's it going, sensei?" Jiraiya asked cheerfully, though with less cheer than he had in the past due to Sarutobi's known disappointment in him.

"Jiraiya," Sarutobi greeted in a slightly more upbeat tone than he'd used with him over the last few years, "I'm surprised to see you. Welcome back."

"Err, thanks," he offered with mild surprise, expecting a colder reception.

"So what brings you here?"

Jiraiya puffed out his chest and proudly announced, "Well, sensei, Kushina and I finished the girls' training a little earlier than we thought we would and we're bringing them home!"

"What?! NOW?!" Sarutobi exclaimed in surprise.

"Well, yeah. That's not a problem, is it?" Jiraiya asked in confusion.

"Where are they now?!" Hiruzen demanded, "Please don't tell me they're at the gates!"

Before Jiraiya could answer, an ANBU came in with Kushina and the girls in tow, causing Hiruzen's eyes to widen in surprise and near-panic. He hadn't expected her to return so soon.

"Kushina, Jiraiya, why did you not send me any advance notice of this?!" he demanded in frustration as Kushina, Jiraiya and the twins smiled knowingly.

"We wanted to surprise you, Hiruzen. And we wanted to come back and meet Naruto as soon as we could," She said, and Hiruzen's heart dropped.

"I see," He said as he rubbed his temples. This wasn't supposed to happen now. All of his plans to ease Naruto into the truths were spoiled now and he had to hammer it to him now. Thank god he wasn't in the village and he was glad he had sent him to the Land of Waves.

"Kushina, this surprise isn't exactly a welcome one!" he groaned out in frustration to her, causing her and Jiraiya to recoil in surprise and her daughters to frown in indignation, "I was planning to ease Naruto into the knowledge of all this in a controlled environment so that I could make sure he doesn't overreact! But now that you've brought yourselves here, I have no way to do that!"

Kushina and party could only look on, bewildered at Hiruzen's reaction, with the exception of Jiraiya, who looked completely unfazed by it.

"What do you mean, Hiruzen?" Kushina demanded, suddenly frantic with anxiety, "The letters I wrote to him were written with that very purpose in mind! I wrote them in such a way so that I COULD ease him into getting to know me before we met him! Did you not give them to him?!"

"No, Kushina, I didn't!" he fired back, causing her to flinch and cry out in shock and anguish.

"WHY?!" she screamed back at him, now frightened and desperate, "WHY DIDN'T YOU?! WHAT ABOUT ALL THE BIRTHDAY PRESENTS I SENT?! THE MONEY?! DID HE GET ANY OF THAT?!"

Hiruzen took a few breaths to collect himself before answering evenly, "It was never the right time to do so, Kushina! I've told you just what the boy has been through, but you weren't here to see any of it – and before you object to that, you know why that is!" he quickly cut her off before she could interrupt him with accusations of his keeping her away, "I had planned on giving it all to him when he gets back into town from his current mission! As I said, I wasn't expecting you back here for several months at least!"

The room was quiet as Kushina almost collapsed to her knees until her daughters ran to each of her sides to help her stay on her feet. Kushina's eyes seemed to gloss over, her pupils shrinking with the near-terror she was now feeling.

"Oh, Gods above, I can only hope that Naruto hasn't gotten…" Hiruzen began to groan before he was interrupted in the manner that he feared the most at that moment.

"Hey, old man!" Naruto greeted the Hokage with great enthusiasm.

'Of all the times to come back from their mission, it had to be right now?' he lamented internally as Team Seven entered his office. Hiruzen glanced at Kushina and the twins, who were staring pretty intently at them, Kushina with hope, fear, regret and love, and her daughters with affection and fascination.

"Oh, why me?" he groaned before he quickly signalled the ANBU to activate the privacy seals and leave the room.

The whole room was silent for several seconds before suddenly, without warning, Kushina ran at Naruto, sobbing. Before anyone even knew what happened, she brought his head to the crook of her neck as she whimpered and wept, clinging to him like a lifeline and kissing his head incessantly. Hiruzen, having retrieved a kunai from his sleeve out of reflex as soon as she reached him, thinking she might attack him, discreetly put it away when he saw her weeping and holding him, feeling no killing intent of any kind from her. He was relieved to see that she truly was repentant and remorseful over what she had done all those years ago.

Kakashi had caught Hiruzen's reflex reaction and was confused as to why Hiruzen would do that. Wouldn't he be glad to see Kushina finally meeting the son she had left behind because he resembled her late husband too much?

Naruto was stunned at the position he suddenly found himself in: here was his idol's widow, holding him as though he was the most precious thing she'd ever seen, sobbing almost hysterically and kissing him all over his face and head. He tried looking around the room despite trying to avoid moving his head so as not to upset the distressed woman holding him to see what everyone's reactions were to this. The two girls with her had to be her daughters, the daughters of the Fourth Hokage, who both housed the yin and yang chakra of the nine tails respectively, while the Fourth took the soul with him to the afterlife with a forbidden jutsu, thereby making them the saviours of the village as the books of the Academy had told him. He didn't understand why they were gazing at him as if star-struck – what was so special about him?

Satsuki and Sakura also found Kushina Uzumaki's reaction to be quite strange. They knew who she was and who the girls were. After all, the whole village practically worshipped the ground they walked on. Satsuki was about to voice her confusion at the sight before them when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to see Kakashi, her sensei shook his head causing her to frown in confusion and annoyance that he had stopped her.

"Let it go, Satsuki. Don't interfere. Just watch and listen, alright? You'll understand everything, shortly," he told her carefully.

The ravenette hesitantly nodded and stood down.

"Umm, Uzumaki-sama? Why are you hugging me and crying?" he asked, rubbing her back in a clumsy attempt to comfort and calm her, causing her heart to break over his formal, unfamiliar manner of addressing her. She broke off the hug after a few moments as Naruto hadn't pushed her away since she looked so broken and in pain. But he was confused as she kept whispering, "I'm so sorry," and "my baby," over and over again.

Hiruzen, in an effort to regain control of the situation, rose to his feet and spoke in a steely tone, "Naruto, there are many things of a very personal and sensitive nature that are about be revealed. They all revolve around you. Kakashi will stay as he already knows most of it, but I must ask Sakura and Satsuki to please leave."

Satsuki glared at him indignantly. She was about to respond in a less-than-civil manner when Naruto released his hold on Kushina and walked over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close. She didn't resist, allowing herself to be drawn into Naruto's warmth.

Everyone besides Team Seven was shocked as Naruto responded, "Whatever you're going to tell me, old man, I'll tell her anyways, so I don't see any point in her leaving."

He tightened his hold on her as she smiled and blushed. Her anger died down in the bliss of Naruto's concern for and devotion to her.

Hiruzen's eyes went wide briefly before he smirked, "Very well, she can stay if you wish so much to tell her, BUT - I have to warn you that some of what is soon to be revealed here might change even her views on you. Are you still willing to tell her?"

Satsuki snorted in indignation, "Oh, please, you can't say anything that'll make me think any less of him, so let's just get on with this,"

Everyone besides Naruto was stunned at the way she had answered the Hokage, but Hiruzen's smirk widened at her response. He wanted to see if she truly would accept his grandson and not do anything in the future to hurt him. He was thankful that his faith in her wasn't misplaced.

"Alright then. I'll let her stay, but Sakura, I'm sorry. You must leave. Naruto can tell you about what is said here, himself, if he wishes to, afterwards, so don't worry," he ordered.

Sakura nodded in understanding, knowing that he wasn't leaving any room for arguments. As she left, she gave Naruto a small smile, prompting him to smile back gratefully. Satsuki unconsciously tightened her grip on him, narrowing her eyes at their retreating teammate. Once she was out of the room, Hiruzen turned to Naruto, who was a bit confused as to why he had to tell him something in front of so many people he didn't even know.

"Now Naruto, before I start, please know that I really am sorry for keeping all of this from you for this long. I wanted to ease you into what you're about to learn, and I wanted to make sure that you were mature enough to handle the information I've kept from you. I assure you that it was for your own safety. I trust you understand that?"

Naruto nodded with a smile that showed his trust in the man, though his confusion hadn't lessened at all.

"Do you know the reason for the behaviour of the people in the village towards you?" he asked solemnly.

Naruto frowned and shook his head. Satsuki's eyes narrowed at the old man, which he noticed, causing him to grimace inwardly. She wasn't the least bit trusting towards anyone besides Naruto and he knew it.

"Well Naruto, do you know what happened twelve years ago in the night of your birthday, specifically the Nine-tails attack?" he asked.

Once again, Naruto nodded, though he was beginning to grow nervous. All the while, Satsuki had her eyes narrowed in a glare at the Hokage. She knew now that something was off. Everyone knew about the Nine-tails attack, but what does that have to do with Naruto? And the people in here - what have they got to do with Naruto? She refrained from speaking out in frustration, knowing she would find out soon enough.

"Of course, I do," Naruto answered, "Everyone knows the story. The Fourth Hokage defeated the Nine-tails with a forbidden jutsu, splitting its chakra, sealing the yin and yang halves in the twins over there…" he answered, pointing at the two redheaded twins and continued, "…and then taking the soul to the afterlife with him. Every academy student knows…"

He was cut off as Hiruzen spoke, "That's a lie, Naruto."

Naruto's and Satsuki's eyes widened at this. Everything they had learnt at the academy was a lie? But why would they lie?

"I forbade by law the speaking of the truths of what happened that night and replaced with a fake story. I did it so that the younger generation won't hold any ill-will towards you like their parents did. Sadly, the law failed in its purpose as the parents still kept their children away from you, telling them to ignore and shun you. Unfortunately, I could do nothing as I couldn't force them to like you," he said regretfully, beginning to see Naruto put the pieces of the puzzle together.

"So I'm somehow related to the Nine-tails, then," Naruto surmised before he began to grow impatient, "So what's the point of this story, old man? Please, stop beating around the bush and just spill it already," He finished as he slammed his hand down on Hiruzen's desk.

Hiruzen winced visibly at his tone, steeling himself and nodding in grim determination. He had delayed it long enough – it was time to be done with it.

"Very well, Naruto. You deserve to know the truth. That night, Minato did in fact use a forbidden jutsu to split the Yin and Yang halves of the Fox's chakra and seal each half within the Mito and Narumi, here…" he gestured to each of the girls respectively as he said their names, "…but he could not take the Nine-Tails' soul with him into the afterlife. You see, tailed beasts are not human, and while no one knows what exactly their purpose is, it is known that they are bound to this physical plane. We know this because in the past, when tailed beasts have supposedly been killed – yes, it has happened before – they have always simply reformed a short while later."

Naruto gasped at this, having neither known nor heard this before.

Sarutobi continued his tale, "And because Minato couldn't take the fox's soul with him, he took the only option available to him. Naruto, there were not two children with outside forces sealed inside of them that night…there were three."

Dread began to rise within Naruto's being as his stomach tightened and his mouth became dry. It was all so obvious now: the glares, the beatings, his near-rape at six, the view that he was a demon, all of it. The added hostility on his birthday served to drive the point home even more. Hiruzen and Kushina could both see that Naruto was beginning to put it all together. Naruto clenched his fists and his teeth and looked downward, his bangs shadowing his eyes from view.

"He sealed it into me," he stated in a tone of accusation before bringing his head up and glaring directly at the Hokage with cold fury, "Didn't he, old man?"

Hiruzen closed his eyes, breathed out a sad, heavy sigh, and nodded slowly. A single tear escaped from each of his eyes, the anguish and torment he was feeling at that moment plain for all to see. Hiruzen open his eyes as an ashamed frown made its way across his features. Kushina was sniffling with new tears. Kakashi was angry for Naruto's plight. Mito and Narumi both looked confused, as if they didn't know how to feel about their brother's current reaction. Satsuki was shedding silent tears freely as she witnessed the boy she had come to love in such unjust torment.

But they were all startled by what Naruto did next. Naruto started chuckling. His chuckles grew louder before he broke into a hollow, humourless laugh. Satsuki grew worried at his expression as she hugged him in the hopes of calming him down. Her embrace served its purpose, as it brought Naruto's laughter to a sudden halt. Looking down into her eyes, he could see her tears as well as the love she had for him, shining forth in all its brilliance. Knowing that this was something she'd never shown anyone before, he quietly thanked her, grateful that she didn't view him as the demon like the village.

"You know I used to idolize the Fourth, don't you, old man?" He asked as everyone was now confused at the point he was making.

"But to think, for all of his supposed nobility, he didn't want to put his daughters in harm's way like he knew they would be if they had the soul as well. So in giving them the powers of the beast, he gifted them while leaving them free of the burden that went along with it, and he picked some random orphan like me to seal its soul into. He condemned me to a life of loneliness, isolation and despair – knowing that he wouldn't have to stick around and take responsibility for what he did to me. I thought Namikaze was a hero, but it turns out he was nothing but a selfish coward," He said in a dead tone as Hiruzen slammed his hand down on the table and stood up startling everyone.

"NO!" Hiruzen roared as he immediately slammed his hand down on his desk, making Naruto jump in shock, "Naruto, you've got it all wrong. Minato was a man of honor unlike any other you'll ever meet. He wouldn't put a burden such as this on someone's child like that."

"Oh, really?!" Naruto retorted angrily, "Then why did he pick me and not one of his daughters?"

"Because, Naruto," Kakashi answered on the Hokage's behalf, "Sensei believed in you more than he believed in anyone else for the few brief moments he was able to be with you. He may have given his daughters parts of the fox's power due to their inherited Uzumaki traits, but he could only trust his own son, who had inherited his clan's strong Namikaze genes, and who would one day have the Sharingan to tame its influence if it ever tried to take over, with such a burden – and the full power that would eventually accompany that burden."

Naruto turned to Kakashi, wide-eyed as this new revelation. The blonde hair, cerulean blue eyes, the Sharingan – of course! Why hadn't he figured it out before?!

"I see you're starting to piece it all together," Hiruzen began, "Yes, Naruto, Minato became a father to triplets that night, not twins. All three of his children inherited the strong Uzumaki blood, but it was only his son who was blessed with the genetic strengths of the Namikaze as well. While he gave your sisters the Yin and Yang chakra of the beast, he put his faith in you to keep the soul at bay, knowing that the Nine-Tails would recover all of its chakra while inside your seal. So you see, my boy, you are in possession of both the Yin and Yang chakra of the Nine-Tails, not simply its soul, because he trusted you, and you alone, to be able to shoulder such a burden."

Naruto stood there, stunned and unable to move as he processed everything he'd just been told. As tears of heartache and betrayal began streaming down his face, he slowly turned his head to Kushina, who was also shedding tears freely.

"Then that means…" he said as Kushina grimaced, refusing to look away from him, before she raised a hand towards his face. He slapped it away before flinching and recoiling, taking two involuntary steps backwards.

"Why?" he whispered, the feeling of betrayal evident in that single question.

Kushina didn't hesitate to answer, "Because I was a stupid, irrational and thoughtless fool that night, son…" he flinched once again when she called him 'son', which didn't go unnoticed by her, "…and my own stupidity and grief led me to become heartless as well. There was no excuse for my leaving you the way I did. I've been writing letters for Hiruzen to give to you for the last eight years that explain at least part of the whole story, as well as gifts of all kinds for him to give to you, but he tells me that there was never a good time to give them to you."

"So, what about the five years before that, then?!" Naruto demanded, his voice rising in volume over the trepidation he was feeling, "Did my own mother think I was a demon too?! Did you throw me to the wolves hoping that they'd kill me?! Did you try to kill me, as well?!"

She started crying in response to his accusing questions, burying her face in her hands before falling to her knees and bowing her head down to the floor, weeping out her confession, "I did think you were a demon, Naruto, because I allowed my own grief and anger to blind me. I was completely in the wrong, and I have absolutely no excuse for my terrible judgment. It wasn't until Jiraiya showed me a picture of your seal five years later without showing me who the seal was placed on that I saw just how strong and secure the seal truly was. On the night you were born, I only checked you and your sisters' seals enough to make sure they were holding, when I should have studied them in further detail to make sure I could understand exactly how each one worked. I didn't try to kill you that night, but I'm ashamed to admit that I wanted to, and I even threatened to if you were brought near me. I also started making plans to do it – plans that caused Hiruzen to prohibit me from returning to the village without his express permission, and only then under his watchful eyes and to handle whatever business I had here at the time. Please forgive me for the terrible things I did to you that horrible night, and the evil thoughts I had towards you for years afterwards! I'd give my right arm to be able to go back and change everything, and I've been desperately trying to make things right ever since I was made to realize that you were never possessed by the Nine-Tails eight years ago! I've been trying constantly to get you back and bring you home since then but I was always stone-walled by Hiruzen!"

Naruto was stunned at this. He turned to Hiruzen and gave a questioning glance, to which Hiruzen nodded grimly.

"Why didn't you tell me, old man?!" Naruto demanded angrily, "I could have had a safe home to grow up in!"

"Naru-chan, please, don't blame him!" Kushina pleaded tearfully, "He had to witness what I did to you on the night of your birth! Please, don't blame him for any of this – even though he's hated me all this time…" Hiruzen gave a slight wince at this, "…he was still acting with your safety in mind. I've been trying non-stop to prove to him that I've changed and taken responsibility for my sins against you that night, but even if he wouldn't see that, it was only because he truly was thinking of your well-being!"

As Kushina was talking to Naruto, Kakashi, now as surprised as Naruto, glared at Hiruzen accusingly. Hiruzen put his hand up in a manner telling him he would tell him later and he stood down. Both of them simply watched on as Kushina pleaded with Naruto and he continued processing everything he was now learning: The Fourth Hokage was his father, and had trusted him to hold the soul of the Nine-Tails, his mother, foolishly and mistakenly believing he had been possessed by the fox at birth, abandoned him and had threatened and even made plans to kill him, Hiruzen had been lying to him this whole time, saying his family wasn't alive.

His breathing started to quicken uncontrollably, and within seconds he was hyperventilating, looking this way and that way frantically. His entire worldview had just fallen apart – he didn't know who to believe or even what to believe! He broke out into a cold sweat as he began to stumble, suddenly finding it difficult to maintain balance.

"Naruto?" Kushina began worriedly, seeing the panic in his eyes before he collapsed, clutching his chest,

"NARU-CHAN?!" the redhead yelled out, now genuinely frightened for him, seeing that he was having what appeared to be a breakdown of some kind.

Satsuki became worried at the state Naruto was currently in. She couldn't imagine what must have been going through his mind at that moment, but whatever it was, he needed help, and he needed it now! She began to approach him calmly, in the hopes that she could reach him and calm him.

Naruto was in the middle of a flashback to his fifth birthday and the beating that he had suffered, as well as the attempted rape the following year. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and in panic, he immediately slapped it away, staring wide-eyed in the direction the hand came from, but not perceiving what his sight was telling him. He struggled frantically to his feet and backed up towards the window.

"Stay away! Don't hurt me!" He shouted out in his panic. The memories of past pain were starting to overwhelm him. Satsuki was stunned as he slapped her hand away, but when she saw how frightened he was and heard his words, she grew worried and began to slowly back away.

Hiruzen and Kakashi, knowing what was happening, both tensed and immediately moved themselves to the front of Naruto's field of vision. Kakashi started to make his way slowly to the blond, trying to avoid frightening him as Naruto took out a kunai.

"Naruto, take it easy," Kakashi admonished him calmly, his hands extended in a placating manner, "Your friends are here. The things that happened to you back then aren't going to happen now. Nobody in this office wants to hurt you, okay?"

"Don't come closer or I'll kill myself. Don't hurt me, please! If you want me gone, I'll go!" He pleaded, trembling and crying as he held the kunai to his neck.

"NO DON'T!" it was Kushina who cried out as she sent a chakra chain to his arm to pull it, and the kunai that he was holding away from his neck, before sending another chain to wrap around his body. She immediately yanked him to herself before anyone could react and caught him in both her arms, keeping her chains firmly gripped around him as she held him tightly in both arms.

"Don't hurt yourself!" she begged hysterically, her voice once again overwhelmed by tears, "You deserve better than that! You deserve to live a long, happy life with Satsuki Uchiha over there! You deserve to be surrounded by the love of your family and friends! If you want to hurt someone, then HURT ME, NOT YOURSELF! I'm the one responsible for this! Please, don't hurt yourself and take whatever revenge or retribution you want against me!"

Naruto, successfully stunned into silence, stopped squirming and even stopped moving. He unconsciously dropped the kunai he was holding and relaxed his body. Kushina felt his body relaxing and released her chains, pulling them back into her body. She brought one of her hands up and began stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry," she offered, just above a whisper, "I'm so sorry that I've brought all of this on you. I've regretted it ever since I learned the truth, and I truly have made every effort to pull you out of this village so you wouldn't have to go through any of that. I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so, so sorry."

"Please," Naruto whispered back, his tone unreadable, "Please unhand me…Kushina-sama."

She flinched when he called her that, feeling even worse that he called her that now that he knew the truth of who she was to him. She slowly unhanded him and stepped back, looking into his face. It was numb, his eyes seemed almost dead.

"Hiruzen," she began, not taking her eyes off of Naruto, "Give him the letters and gifts I sent you to give to him. Now!"

"Kushina…" Hiruzen began, only to be interrupted by Kushina.

"Right now!" she ordered forcefully, finally turning her gaze to him, "You've kept the truth from him for long enough! Give him what I sent him!"

"Naruto," Satsuki called to him softly, bringing his gaze to meet her own, and causing the rest of the room's inhabitants to stop whatever they were doing.

She slowly began to step towards him. He didn't make a single move, allowing the love he could see she had for him in her eyes to bring him to a semblance of peace and calm. Seeing that he wasn't resisting, she continued closing in on him until she was finally in front of him. She put her hand on his cheek, and he flinched for a brief moment before leaning into her touch. She rubbed his whiskers and he closed his eyes. She then brought his head in the crook of her neck and he cried trembling in her arms holding her like a lifeline.

"I…I don't know what to feel right now. I'm scared, I'm angry, I'm…tired. Please don't leave me, Satsu-chan," he whispered in between hiccups as she ran her fingers through his hair, softly soothing him.

"Shhhh…I'm here now, and I'll never leave you. And nobody will ever hurt you if I have anything to say about it. It's going to be okay, Naru-koi," she whispered and held him as he nodded slowly.

Hiruzen, Kakashi and Kushina all sighed in relief that his panic attack was over, and all three were both grateful and impressed at how Satsuki handled it. Satsuki slowly guided him over to the couch, where he fell unconscious from the strain of his ordeal as she held him wrapped in her arms close to her, hiding him from the pain.

Jiraiya and the twins were stunned at what had just happened and were frozen. Kushina began to take a couple of steps towards Naruto and Satsuki, but stopped as the raven-haired girl threw her an icy glare, causing her to flinch.

"Stay away from us," she said coldly, causing Kushina to freeze mid-step before allowing a few silent tears to fall down her already tear-stained cheeks before she closed her eyes, hung her head in shame, and nodded understandingly. She understood – it was because she didn't perform her own due diligence with regards to Naruto's seal and because she left him here to fend for himself that he had issues that would cause such a breakdown to take place.

"Don't let any of them come near him or me for the time being," She said coldly to Hiruzen, who just nodded, not wanting to startle her anymore as he saw she too was dripping a couple of tears from her eyes.

"I swear on my Uchiha name that if Naruto comes to any harm at all over this, I will place the four of you above even my clan-slaying brother Itachi on my list of targets for vengeance. This person has a stronger will than anyone I've ever known in my thirteen years of life, and you managed to break him in a matter of minutes! Pray to any god that might choose to listen to you that nothing happens to him or else," she whispered threateningly, prompting Jiraiya to step forward.

"And just who do you think you are threaten…" he began to growl out indignantly, only to be cut off.

"That's enough, Jiraiya!" Hiruzen snapped at him, "She is absolutely right! You've already done more than enough, and I will not permit you to do him any more harm!"

Jiraiya grumbled quietly, but followed his Kage's orders and stood back.

"And who are you to stop us from getting close to him? We are his family!" Mito proclaimed as her arrogance got the better of her.

"None of you 'strangers' has any right to call him family! You don't know the first thing about him! And don't you dare take that tone with me. People might submit to you with that tone in the Fire Capital, spoiled princess, but I won't do any such thing, and if I have to do it to protect him from you," she warned, glancing down at Naruto whose head she clutched tighter to her chest before returning her glare at Mito, causing her to flinch at the unnerving sight of Satsuki's Sharingan, "I'll show you why the Uchiha clan was so feared in the world."

"ENOUGH!" Hiruzen barked out, taking command of the situation, "Everyone leave. I need to speak to Satsuki alone. Jiraiya, Kushina, Mito, Narumi: you four are to go nowhere near Naruto unless either Satsuki Uchiha or I myself permit it, or unless Naruto approaches you."

The three Uzumaki women and Jiraiya all hesitantly filed out, Kakashi helping a sobbing Kushina. Kushina stopped at the doorway before turning back to address the young woman holding her son.

"Uchiha-san," Kushina called, getting her attention, "Please…take care of him and make sure he's alright. Will you do that for me?"

"I'll do it, but not for you," Satsuki retorted back.

Kushina smiled, "Regardless…thank you."

Satsuki frowned and gave the woman a nod.

Kushina sent a stern glare to Hiruzen, "Hiruzen, I want to warn you in advance: when you have your next village council meeting, expect a lot of maimed and disfigured councillors, because I'm going to have an exchange with each of them personally, and if I don't like what I hear about how they've treated Naruto, it's going to get very, very ugly."

Hiruzen simply frowned in response before Kakashi guided her back out of the room. As the room cleared, he turned to Satsuki and his eyes softened as he watched her gaze at him lovingly. She held him close to her as she was hiding his head within her kimono, Naruto unconsciously snuggling into her.

"You really care for him. I'm glad he has someone like you to help him through this," he said and she smiled a little looking at the blonde in her arms.

"Yes, but not as much as he cares for me. I won't ever be able to match his care for me," she whispered and he smiled, "He was the only one who didn't show me any pity after the massacre and was the same as before. He even told me he would help me through my goals and accepted me for who I am. He never once complained about any of the things that I said to him. He was the one who helped me get through the pain of my life and I will help him too as much as I can."

He simply nodded in response.

"You still have some things to tell him, don't you?" she asked and he nodded, impressed at how sharp she was.

"Yes, indeed I do. I have to give him some things his father left him and tell him about the inheritance he left him. I also need to give him the letters Kushina was talking about. I wonder if I shouldn't have given them to him sooner – it might have made this whole experience much easier for him to deal with. I'll talk to him about it when he wakes up." He said and she nodded. He took out three scrolls, two with the Namikaze clan symbol and one with the Uzumaki clan symbol. She took them and looked at him questioningly.

"Those are the will and the letter that Minato left for Naruto and entrusted to me, as well as all the letters and such that Kushina sent – I sealed them all into a single scroll, because there are a lot of them. I wanted to hand him these myself but I guess he trusts you more than anyone else for now. He won't really trust me as much as before. I know that I have made many mistakes as well, but I always tried to do what was best for him," he said and Satsuki nodded and hid the scrolls in her sleeves where she had a couple of storage seals to keep a kunai in each of them for emergencies. Naruto had made it for her in case something ever happened and she needed a weapon when she got caught or had lost her weapons.

"I know that you always meant well for him, and don't worry, I'll give him the scrolls when he is a bit calmer," She said and he nodded.

"Please be with him when he reads the letter. He will need your support for his emotional strain." He said his voice showing his old age and she nodded with a smile.

He would tell them more about Kushina's attempts at making up to them as soon as possible. Now wasn't the time, but given what had just transpired, the right time either wouldn't come, or the right time was as close to now as possible. He tried to take Naruto from Satsuki's arms who hesitated in letting go but he gave her a reassuring smile and she let go as he Shunshined them back to Naruto's apartment and put Naruto in his bed and left. Satsuki went to the kitchen and drank some milk from the fridge and put her sandals in the shoe rack as she threw the ribbon holding her hair fall on the ground and went into the bed to be by his side as she wrapped her arms around him and put her head on his chest as she too dozed off exhausted from the day.

She woke up as Naruto squirmed a bit around not knowing where he was as she looked up and stared up into his cerulean blue eyes and smiled. She leaned up and pecked his lips as he too smiled and hugged her. It was 2:30 in the morning and the room was lit lightly with the lamp by their bedside and a bit of moonlight coming in through the window.

"How are you feeling? Are you alright?" she asked him putting her head on his shoulder as he put her in his lap and put his face in her neck taking in the scent of her hair as he sighed as she put her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

"I don't know what to do or what to feel Satsuki-chan. I am just lost with everything I have learned today I am not sure about anything now." He said in a tired and lost voice as she looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Well then don't think about it too much for now. Give it time you'll do alright and I'll help you alright." She said and he smiled a little and captured her lips as she too responded back and both kissed each-others lips for a couple of minutes and then broke off as Naruto had his eyes glazed and Satsuki was flushed and had a rosy blush on her face. He buried his face in her neck and she just held him as she felt something wet and then felt him whimpering as she hugged him tightly.

"What's the matter? Tell me I'll help you." She whispered running her fingers through his hair and her other hand rubbing his back.

"I don't know who to trust now. My own mother abandoned me and was planning to kill me saying I was a demon, the old man lied to me saying I was an orphan and my so called family was living peacefully at the Fire capital while I was here getting beaten, glared at or belittled. What should I feel and who should I trust I don't know anymore." He whispered as she held him. His voice sounded so broken and vulnerable to her. She had never felt him so frail in her arms as she felt him now in all the years she had known him.

"You have me don't you? You trust me don't you?" she whispered and he nodded in her neck sobbing.

"Then you are not alone I'll be there with you I promise alright just give it a bit of time. I'll help you get through this." She whispered and he started crying again.

"Satsuki-chan you don't understand I can see that night in my mind again. I had made myself forget it but today I remember it all. I saw it with my Sharingan and it haunts me again and again now every time I close my eyes." He said and she nodded.

"Don't worry you made me forget all about the massacre didn't you? I'll help you get over it." She whispered and he nodded as he calmed down.

"Satsuki-chan do you think any differently about me now that you know what I hold?" he asked in a small voice as she answered.

"Yes in fact I do." She said as his heart broke at hearing it but she continued.

"I respect you and hate the villagers even more for what they did to you. You are the one who keeps this village breathing and that is how they treated you but you never once had any hate towards their actions. They couldn't even begin to compare to the person that you are. I respect and love you all the more after knowing this." She said and he gazed at her with wide eyes looking for any deceit but what he found was warmth and love and held her close to him.

"Thank you." He whispered and she smiled and nodded holding him. She looked towards the bedside table and saw what she was looking for.

She picked up two glasses of milk she had kept for him and some cookies if he woke up thirsty and handed it to him and he drank it and gave one to her. Both ate the cookies and finished the milk as she started getting up to make him something heavy to eat.

"Alright stay here and I'll go make something for you to eat alright." She said getting up as he pulled her close and hugged him close to her.

"Don't go. Stay with me I'm not hungry." He said in a shaky voice and she nodded as both lied down cuddling as she pulled the blanket up to their necks and switched off the light as both slept in each other's arms.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes : There is the next chapter and the coveted reunion that everyone has been waiting for. Sorry for the time it took but the chapter took some time from me to get it down to perfection so that we don't screw up a major part of the story. This story won't be abandoned so don't worry about that. Well tell me what you guys think and leave your comments and suggestions in reviews, I always read through all of them. So until next time keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;)**_

 _ **PS : This chapter too has had help from ncpfan to bring it up to perfection and i thank my friend and his efforts dearly ;)**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

* * *

 **Next Morning**

* * *

 **Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

Satsuki's eyes flickered open as the first rays of the morning hit her eyes. She squirmed around a bit as she felt something snuggle in her chest and smiled.

She saw Naruto hiding his face from the sunlight by snuggling in her chest and she wrapped her arms around his head, hiding his face from the light and burying him in his arms. She felt a feeling of contentment and peace as she held him close to her. She closed her eyes and decided to relish in the serenity for as long as she could and fell into a deep sleep again.

It was around noon when her eyes opened again and she glanced at the clock, lazily rubbing her eyes. She saw the time and looked down at the peaceful face of the whiskered blonde and the soft breathing he held. She smiled and was glad that he was having a nice sleep even after all he went through the previous day. She slowly put his head down on the pillow and wrapped his arms around a spare pillow as he snuggled in it, his breathing softened again making her smile, seeing him fast asleep she got up, slowly walking to the bathroom and freshened up. She came out showered and clad in only a towel around her body and hair as she saw him still sleeping peacefully and went to her room to go get changed.

She came back to the room and saw him still in the same position she left him in. She felt a bit hungry as her glance went to the sleeping blonde making her smile. That idiot hadn't eaten anything solid since yesterday's breakfast other than that glass of milk and cookies they had last night.

"What am I going to do with you?" she whispered softly and crouched down by his bed, folding her knees to the side and kept her chin over her crossed hands as she saw him sleeping and smiled seeing his cute face. She rubbed his whiskers softly and he purred softly in his sleep making her giggle. She got up and went over to her fallen ribbon on the floor from yesterday and tied her hair in her usual high loose fitting ponytail walking out, closing the room behind her softly with a click. She went over to the shoe rack and fetched her sandals as she tapped her toes fixing them in place and walked out, locking the door behind her.

She walked through the streets and saw the smiles and waves of the villagers and completely ignored the two faced bastards. They were smiling at her just for her clan name and status, as soon as Naruto's real heritage was revealed they would try and do everything to kiss up to him, she mused in disgust and kept walking completely ignoring those fake looks of adoration. She came up to the destination she was looking for and smiled as she entered, pulling away the curtains.

"Welcome to Ichiraku's what can I …" Ayame stopped as she saw who it was and beamed looking back at the view behind her for a moment and frowned not finding her favourite blonde knucklehead there as Satsuki spoke up breaking her out of her thoughts.

"He's still asleep, the last mission was tough and took its toll on him…" she said as Teuchi came out hearing this with a big spoon in his hand and his face held an expression of concern.

"Is he alright? Nothing happened to him now did it?" he asked worriedly and she smiled at their looks of genuine concern for her blonde knucklehead. Now she understood why that idiot came here, it wasn't as much for the food as it was for the people there she mused and nodded as they beamed in happiness and Ayame sat her on the stool forcefully and Teuchi laughed going back in.

"Wait here dear, I'll get the usual Naruto special and some of that for you too. He'll be up and about as soon as he smells the aroma of my magical super deluxe pork cutlet bowls." He said happily and she giggled a little seeing the man so enthusiastic about his food and she had no doubt there would be the same reaction with Naruto as suddenly Ayame closed in and leaned down on her face.

"So you are taking care of him aren't you?" she asked curiously and Satsuki blushed a faint pink and muttered a 'Hai' as Ayame grinned mischievously.

"Tou-san, our little Naru-chan has finally found himself a girlfriend and look she's so cute…" she said as Satsuki's blush turned a rosy pink in embarrassment from her words when Teuchi came out with an inquisitive look on his face. He gazed at her with a finger on his chin as he was deep in thought and a moment later he nodded with a smile.

"My boy certainly has fine taste like the old man who introduced him to the food of the gods, she's perfect for him." He said happily and she blushed bright red as a tomato and Teuchi laughed seeing the Ice Princess of Konoha so embarrassed and flustered. Ayame meanwhile grinned mischievously seeing no denial to her words as she plopped her elbow on the counter and leaned in looking at her closely.

"So, how did it happen? Did he propose you? Has he taken you out on a date? Have you two kissed yet? Since you live together he hasn't tried anything on you or has he?" she asked gleefully in rapid fire as Satsuki's face was turning redder by the minute at her intensifying questions and she was on the verge of sinking in her seat from embarrassment as Teuchi came to her rescue.

"Ayame come on here back and stop teasing the little girl, her face might explode if she turns any more red." Said Teuchi with a fatherly chuckle and Ayame pouted as she went back to help him and he came to her.

"Don't mind her, she's known Naruto ever since he was a toddler and he is almost like her little brother. She means well and take care of Naruto alright, he's a good boy when you get to know him and will keep you happy." He said with a smile making her smile with him at his genuine happiness and nodded as he went back to pack her orders and handed her a box with two sealed bowls and chopsticks as she handed him the money which he refused making her confused.

"My boy went on his first real mission and found his girlfriend, this one's on the house. Tell him he chose wisely." He said happily and she blushed and nodded as she went back home happily with the food in her hands as she turned around the street and saw Sakura there walking towards Naruto's apartment and frowned a bit. Sakura saw her and she herself frowned for a moment before she smiled and waved at her happily.

"Kon'nichiwa Satsuki-chan." She said as she walked up to her and Satsuki nodded as they fell in step and walked towards the same destination slowly.

"Why are you here?" she asked neutrally hiding the hint of jealousy and possessiveness in her voice and Sakura smiled as she answered.

"Oh I just wanted to see Naruto, I heard he was troubled and exhausted yesterday so I wanted to check up on him." She said happily while Satsuki narrowed her eyes at the pink haired banshee.

"And who told you that?" she asked hiding her anger and Sakura looked at her curiously wondering about her neutral voice that she held but shrugged it off and answered happily.

"Oh I met Kakashi-sensei in the morning he told me that." She said and Satsuki cursed inwardly.

" _You damn lazy ass pervert, the next time I see you I'll make you wish those books will be of no use to you."_ She thought as a certain lazy ass jounin in a book store lined up to buy the latest edition of Icha Icha shivered for some reason. She gave a curt nod to Sakura as they kept walking in silence when Satsuki spoke up.

"You should leave him alone for now, he is troubled and wants some time alone. Now isn't the time to be all friendly." Satsuki said neutrally. Sakura narrowed her eyes at the raven haired princess in anger.

"And you should be troubling him instead if he wants to be left alone?" she hissed making the Uchiha princess narrow her own at the bubble-gum haired banshee as they stopped and glared at each other.

"If you are forgetting _Haruno,"_ she hissed venomously. "… me and _Naru-kun…_ " she said deliberately speaking the nickname with extra emphasis to make her point get through. "… are together now and I have also spent the night trying to comfort him after the talk we had in the Hokage's office yesterday where _you_ weren't present." She said as Sakura narrowed her eyes in anger clenching her fists, remembering how she had been kicked out while Naruto made Satsuki stay. "…so it would be quite appreciable if you could leave him alone for now." She finished neutrally giving her a blank look while Sakura smirked.

"Oh don't worry, I know how to respect someone's privacy. I'll just check up on him, make a few small conversations and leave, nothing for _you_ to worry about." She finished sweetly making Satsuki grit her teeth in annoyance at the banshee's nosy nature. She huffed and walked away.

"Fine." She said making Sakura smirk as she continued. "But don't be too imposing on him, he needs the rest for now." She finished while Sakura was glaring daggers at the raven haired princess's back as they walked to Naruto's apartment in a tense silence.

* * *

 **Naruto's Apartment**

* * *

Satsuki came to the front door and put the key in unlocking the door as Sakura spoke up.

"You live with him?" she asked neutrally, thinking if it was a yes then how the hell had she gotten so close to him in just a few days. Satsuki smirked as she stepped in and undid her sandals.

"Yes." She said with a smirk and Sakura gritted her teeth in annoyance. She followed the raven haired princess as they walked to the bedroom. Satsuki put her hand over the knob and unclicked it slowly entering with soft steps, Sakura followed her as she saw the serene silence and a little darkness in the room when Satsuki turned the lamp on the bedside on. She gazed at the whiskered face blonde clutching his pillow, snuggled into it and breathing softly showing his deep sleep and a small smile lit up both their faces.

Satsuki sat beside him and pulled his pillow off his grip softly. Naruto's eyes scrunched a bit and he wrapped his arms around her waist and snuggled in her stomach and sighed happily. She smiled running her fingers through his hair softly and saw as Sakura took a seat on one of the bean bags in the room. She turned her gaze back down and kissed the top of his head softly and tapped his cheek lightly. Naruto groggily opened his eyes and rubbed them sleepily with a cute small yawn. He looked up and saw the smiling face of Satsuki and smiled himself closing his eyes and sighing happily.

Sakura watched their small interactions through the side and her jealousy grew as she saw the loving gaze both held for each other.

"Wake up now, it's lunch time and you need some food." Satsuki spoke softly and he looked at the clock and was surprised to see it really was lunchtime.

"I slept in too much." He said sleepily and she smiled and nodded. She rubbed his head softly and let him snuggle in her happily.

"Yes, yes you did. But I'm glad." She spoke softly making him smile in her embrace while Sakura was hearing just incoherent whispers from the side-lines and watching on in jealousy.

"I brought you some food, now get up. You haven't had anything to eat properly since yesterday." She scolded half-heartedly in a soft voice and he muttered a 'Hai' sitting up and gazed at the sitting Sakura in surprise.

"Sakura-chan, it's a surprise. What are you doing here?" he asked smiling and she smiled back at the blonde knucklehead.

"I just came to check up on you Naruto, you got hurt on the last mission and Kakashi-sensei told me in the morning that you were quite troubled with whatever they talked to you about in the Hokage office. So I came to see if you were fine and all you know…" she said happily making him smile at her concern. Satsuki decided to cut her musings short picking up the packed food from her side and put the two bowls on her lap. Naruto grinned foxily a bit seeing the familiar bowls as she pulled them back a bit making him frown.

"Not so easy you idiot, I brought you food now what do I get in return?" she asked making him pout.

"Well then what do you want?" he asked innocently and she smirked.

"Come closer." She said and just as he leaned a bit closer she pecked his lips softly making him blush. She too had a faint pink blush on her face and handed him his bowl and chopsticks with a smile.

"That should do it, now you can have it." She said and Sakura grit her teeth seeing the small kiss as Naruto turned to her with a small smile.

"Sakura-chan, I'm sorry we didn't get you anything. We can share together if you want, my bowl is big enough." He said and she smiled and shook her head standing up. She walked over to him and put her hand on his giving a small glance and smirk to Satsuki who gave her a death glare and the banshee turned to Naruto.

"No I have already had lunch Naruto but thanks for your offer of sharing it means a lot…" she said squeezing his hand and he smiled innocently and nodded.

"Now I'll leave you to rest and see you later alright?" she asked and he nodded as he watched her leave and shut the door behind her. He opened up his bowl and broke his chopsticks clapping his hand.

"Itadakimasu!" he said and went to dig in when he saw Satsuki sitting still staring at her bowl.

"I'm not hungry anymore." She said neutrally and kept the bowl to the side, trying to stand up when Naruto pulled her wrist and brought her closer with a small 'eep'. He snaked his arms around her stomach and held her back to his chest, his chin on her shoulder as he picked the bowl up and brought a small piece of pork to her mouth.

"You need to eat Satsu-chan, come on now don't be silly." He said softly and a small smile lit up her face.

"I said I'm not hungry." She said half-heartedly and her stomach grumbled a bit betraying her. She blushed in embarrassment and looked down making Naruto giggle at her misfortune.

"Alright then please eat for me, if you eat half of it with me then I'll be completely satisfied." He whispered in her ear softly making her shiver as he kissed her neck softly and put the piece of meat in front of her mouth. She opened her mouth a bit and ate it slowly and took her own chopsticks and fed him staying in the same position the whole-time smiling. She didn't even realize when they finished both the bowls as Naruto piled the huge bowl he had on top of her small tomato Ramen bowl that he ate for her. He rubbed her stomach softly making her feel fuzzy and warm as she put her hand over his with a smile.

"Now wasn't that the best meal ever." He said softly making her smile at his words. She brought her hand to his cheek and pulled him close kissing his cheek softly and rubbed it her own cheek touching his. Naruto closed his eyes feeling her hands rub his sensitive cheek softly.

"So how do you feel now, are you alright?" she asked softly making him smile at the concern her voice held and nodded slowly. She nodded as Naruto leaned back on the headboard of the bed and held her close to him all the time. She decided it was time to hand him the scrolls that Hiruzen had entrusted to her except for the one with the Uzumaki scroll for now. She handed him the two Namikaze clan symbol scrolls making him look at her questionably.

"Those are the two scrolls your father left you Naru-kun, Sandaime entrusted them to me seeing as you held more trust in me than any other person yesterday." She spoke softly smiling at his nickname and took the scrolls from her hands. He saw the intricate blood seals making him appreciate the skill and craftsmanship of the seal master… his father… had once held to create it. He bit his thumb smearing the blood all over the seal and pumped chakra into his scroll. It glowed for a moment, the seals recognizing the blood and chakra signature as they suddenly heard a small click and the scroll unrolled making him smile. This really proved that he was his son, carrying his blood in his veins. He started reading it and saw Satsuki looking elsewhere to give him some privacy when he suddenly wrapped an arm around her waist pulling her closer. She kept her head on his shoulder, sitting on his lap as she heard his voice in her ear.

"I don't have anything to hide from you Satsu-chan, read it with me please." He said softly and she heard the little vulnerability his voice held and nodded. Both turned their gazes to the unfurled scroll reading its contents.

* * *

 _I, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato, clan head of the Namikaze clan which holds its seat as one of the four noble clans of Konoha leave all my fortune which includes the entire wealth of the Namikaze clan and its compounds, every property I own or is registered under the Namikaze name to my son Naruto Namikaze. The Namikaze clan compounds have been sealed by the various security, privacy and barrier seals attuned only to my son's chakra and blood. He is the sole inheritor to the entire wealth, knowledge and lands owned by the Namikaze clan. I hereby name Naruto Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, Jinchuriki of the soul of the Kyuubi no Yoko as the heir to the Namikaze clan. If anything happens to me, this will be my last testament and order that everything be handed down to Naruto after he is ready to learn the truths through Hiruzen Sarutobi, to whom I have trusted this responsibility in case his mother abandons him or if something happens to her in the aftermath of my death Hiruzen Sarutobi shall be the guardian to the clan's and my own wealth until the time he deems him ready._

 _-Minato Namikaze_

 _-Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Clan Head_

 _ **M.N.**_

* * *

Satsuki smiled reading the contents of the letter, or will was more like it. His father was a great man, to take such preventive and cautious measures even in his last moments just to make sure his son wasn't left alone to fend off for himself. She was startled as she saw small drops dropping on the scroll and looked to the side to see Naruto smiling while crying. She cupped his cheeks with both her hands, wiping his eyes with her thumbs and kissed his lips softly as he sniffed and smiled at her.

"He didn't abandon me Satsuki-chan, he was worried for me even in the face of death." He spoke sobbing with a smile. "He left everything he owned to me, entrusting me with his legacy." He sniffled and she nodded with a small smile, handing him the second scroll. He took it slowly with trembling hands, knowing this was what would be the Fourth's… no his father's last words to him. What would he have written thought? Did he love him? Or did he too think of him as a demon like his mother? Did he leave him everything just because of his bloodline? His thoughts were broken when Satsuki grabbed his hands, squeezing them softly in reassurance and gave him a heart-warming smile making his heart flutter. His doubts vanished when he looked into those onyx pools that held nothing but warmth and love for him, and those small lips that gave him the most beautiful smiles of his life.

"Don't worry, I'm here for you." She said in a reassuring tone, making his heart sore in confidence. "I know he loved you very much, trust me." She said softly rubbing her thumb over his hand. He smiled and nodded unsealing the scroll and put it on his lap. Satsuki wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek softly to make him feel happy before he read whatever the letter held. She didn't want him to go through both at once, but it was better to get it over with now. She at least was holding back those letters from his _mother…_ she thought with venom in her mind, remembering the redhead. She would hand them over if he was holding off well after reading these first, and let him know that one of his parents were at least… well parents. Both turned their gazes to the unrolled letter on his lap.

* * *

 _Naruto… oh my little boy._

 _How much I wish I could be there for you…_

 _There are just so many things I wish to talk to you about, teach you. Pass on my… well everything to you. Now where to start… I never really was that good at these last words but I guess these are really the last eh? Get it? Oh well…_

 _Well I really wish the scroll I left with the old monkey doesn't come to use. But if it has, and trust me I pray it doesn't then you have led a life full of loneliness._

 _I have taken measures for your safety and all your basic amenities you will ever need growing up. Hiruzen has probably taken very good care of you, and if he hasn't then trust me he and I will have some words soon. He doesn't really have much time left anyways, I don't get how he stays so fit in that age… hmm must be his thing._

 _You will probably be owning a lot of money and power by the time you open this letter, I hope and I am watching you that you don't become arrogant or turn foolish with all the wealth and fortune at such young an age._

 _But I know you're my son… I trust you enough that you won't be like that. Seeing how much you look like me, I can proudly say you'll be just as awesome as your old man. Well now let's let some parental instincts kick in._

 _Do not and I mean absolutely NOT! turn into a pervert like Jiraiya-sensei if he ever makes contact with you or tries to turn you into his corrupt ways. Or I swear, he'll regret ever dying after me and I meet in the afterlife._

 _Make friends, I know it will be a bit difficult for you seeing the burden I have put on your tiny shoulders but try and make some friends. You don't need a whole lot of them, just a few would be enough that you could trust completely._

 _And that brings me to the next point. Girls. Now no need to be embarrassed about hearing this from me, every parent has to tell their children about this and this will be the least embarrassing in your case. When you'll get the letter, you'll be a young man and it is only natural to take an interest in girls. But try and find a nice girl, a girl who loves you with all her heart and one you could trust your life with. Love, now I can't explain it to you. You'll know when it happens, both of you will stay and wait for each other even if you are so far apart it doesn't look like you'll be together again. Your hearts stay connected even through that. When you feel so strongly about someone, then you can say you are in true love with each other. I wish you find your partner and hope she is very kind and pretty; after all I need a cute girl to see with my little boy from up here you know._

 _No alcohol or sake until you're of age, and even then only a little. It's alright to drink a little on occasions but it harms you if you take it excessively, so try and stay away from it._

 _Be careful about the handling of money matters alright, try and help as many people as you can with the money you have. That is the best use it could have._

 _Alright now moving on from my don'ts of life I hope you did well at the Academy, even if you didn't don't get depressed, sometimes it takes time but I'm sure you'll get it right. After all it is a parent's duty to trust in their children right? Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Find your strengths and harness them, weed out your weakness through hard work and perseverance and I'm sure you'll make me proud._

 _*BLOOD SPLATTER*_

 _Naruto looks like my time is getting up. Now listen and remember this carefully. There was an orange masked man with a lone Sharingan in his right eye behind the attack of the Nine Tails tonight. He'll be back for you, I'm sure of it. Get strong enough and make allies who would stand up next to you and watch your back and gain enough strength to deal with him when you finally have to face him._

 _*BLOOD SPLATTER*_

 _Naruto, from now on, you're going to face lots of pain and hardship…_

 _Be true to yourself… Have a dream and have the confidence to make that dream come true…_

 _There's so much… Oh, so much more that I want to pass on to you… I wish I could stay with you longer…_

 _I love you_

* * *

Both giggled at the man's lousy sense of humour that he apparently held even in his last moments. And by the time they reached the end tears were streaming down their eyes heavily as they read one of the most loving and beautiful words they had ever read. Naruto was clutching the scroll to his chest tightly as Satsuki held him in a tight embrace, herself crying heavily. How much had the man loved him? How much it must have pained him to imagine his son being put through all the hardships and adversities because he put the burden over the tiny shoulders of his child? Just so he could protect the village. She clutched him tightly and he held on to her like a lifeline crying heavily in her chest as she hid him in the loose sleeves of her kimono away from all the pain and loneliness his heart released. Absorbing it all into her, so he could live free of them.

"He loved me Satsu-chan… he loved me…" he said in between heavy sobs, crying in her chest and she nodded rubbing his head softly. "I was wanted… he wanted to raise me, spend my childhood walking through it with me… I was loved, he died loving me to the last minute…" he said in choked sobs and she nodded clutching his head to her chest tightly.

"Yes he did, how couldn't he love you Naru-kun?" she said lovingly, rubbing his head and brushing his hair softly. She knew how much it meant to someone who lived his whole life thinking he was thrown out and outright abandoned to know how much his father loved him after he learnt how his mother had left him alone, to fend off against the wolves. All alone, a little innocent child fending off his whole life without knowing any love or identities of his parents. She still wondered how his heart remained so pure, but it was just who he was.

She held her love crying into exhaustion for two hours straight, cooing him and holding him to her letting him get it all out from him. She watched him fall asleep with a small smile, she laid down by her elbow beside him rubbing his hair softly. She brought his head into her chest and watched as he snuggled and cuddled up to her making her smile. She too closed her eyes and laid beside him, both covered up to their necks by a blanket falling into a deep slumber in the day, in each other's arms.

* * *

 **Meanwhile in the Council Chambers at the Hokage Tower…**

* * *

The council had been called as the shinobi and the civilian councils sat wondering the reason for the meeting, while the elders sat in contemplation of what could be so important to convene the council at such short a notice. Suddenly the door to the council chambers opened and in walked Hiruzen Sarutobi and took his seat as silence reigned supreme in the chambers. He looked at the curious and confused gazes of the people in the room and started.

"I'm sure you all must be wondering why you are here…" he started getting nods from everyone. "… well I am here to tell you some things amongst which I'll start with the fact that Kushina Uzumaki along with her two daughters, Narumi and Mito Uzumaki has returned to the village." He said getting gasps from the whole room and happy cheers from the civilian council.

"Yes the hero twins of the village have returned, it is great Hokage-sama!" screeched the councilwoman Mebuki Haruno making everyone wince and the doors to the council room opened and in walked Kushina Uzumaki and took the vacant Uzumaki clan head seat with a blank emotionless look on her face making Hiruzen sigh. He knew she was a time bomb waiting to explode, he silently signalled his ANBU to be on guard to restrain her should that happen.

"Kushina-sama it's great to have you back with your daughters, now the strength of our village has returned." Said Hiashi and she didn't even spare the man a glance making him confused and Hiruzen saw her little twitching fingers as she stared at him with narrow eyes and he coughed gaining everyone's attention.

"Alright please I have something to reveal to all of you that has to do with the Yondaime and the Namikaze clan fortune…" he said and Danzo growled under his breath. He wanted to take that for himself and use it for his ROOT when Kushina would forget all about it in her self-wallow. But now it looked like she was going to claim it…

His thoughts were cut off as Hiruzen spoke up.

"Today is the day that I deem the time to reveal the Namikaze clan heir and the son of the Yondaime Hokage and the last Namikaze clan head Minato Namikaze to the village, as were the last wishes of my late successor to me…" he started as the council roared in in an uproar hearing the Yondaime had a son. Hiruzen listened to their bickering and annoying things asking where he had been all this time. Finally, he had enough and slammed his hand on the table leaking a huge amount of killing intent shutting them all up.

"SILENCE!" he roared shutting them all up as they looked at their furious Hokage in fright, seeing the reason why he was called the 'God of Shinobi' in the first place. He took out a scroll from his sleeve and all of their eyes widened at seeing the name 'Namikaze' embroidered over it and the special official seal of the Fourth Hokage.

"This…" he said pointing to the scroll. "… is Minato's will and last testament to me and this village. I shall read it now to everyone." He said and they all nodded, and one could hear a pin drop in the room clearly at how deathly quiet it was as he began reading the copy of the will, the same as the one addressed to Naruto.

* * *

 _I, Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage of Konohagakure no sato, clan head of the Namikaze clan which holds its seat as one of the four noble clans of Konoha leave all my fortune which includes the entire wealth of the Namikaze clan and its compounds, every property I own or is registered under the Namikaze name to my son Naruto Namikaze. The Namikaze clan compounds have been sealed by the various security, privacy and barrier seals attuned only to my son's chakra and blood. He is the sole inheritor to the entire wealth, knowledge and lands owned by the Namikaze clan. I hereby name Naruto Namikaze, son of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, Jinchuriki of the soul of the Kyuubi no Yoko as the heir to the Namikaze clan. If anything happens to me, this will be my last testament and order that everything be handed down to Naruto after he is ready to learn the truths through Hiruzen Sarutobi, to whom I have trusted this responsibility in case his mother abandons him or if something happens to her in the aftermath of my death, Hiruzen Sarutobi shall be the guardian to the clan's and my own wealth until the time he deems him ready._

 _-Minato Namikaze_

 _-Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Clan Head_

 _ **M.N.**_

* * *

He recited it word for word and saw the saucer wide eyes of the whole council and the looks of horror and disbelief on everyone's faces making him smirk. This was the day he had been waiting for his whole life and he was going to enjoy it while he could.

"T-The s-same hair, e-eyes and looks. How could I have been so blind?" stuttered out Shikaku Nara and everyone broke out of their stupor when the civilian council roared in protest saying it was all a lie and the 'demon' had forged the fake will as the room was flooded with killing intent but this time Hiruzen sat back and saw Kushina's hair flail around and leak humongous amounts of killing intent.

"That _'demon'_ as you idiots so put it is my baby boy. It would be fruitful for your life if you thought before you spoke up a word against him in front of me." She hissed in cold unbridled fury seeing her so called friends joining against her son. Now she saw how much hate and suffering he must have had to endure at the hands of them all alone, fending it off himself. Everyone became quiet, shivering at the furious 'Akai chishio no Habanero'.

"You can't be serious Kushina-sama, that de-…" he stopped as he saw the fire in her eyes and gulped when her chakra levels rose. "… boy, can't be your son. You didn't even take him to the Fire capital. You surely know what that boy is…" he wanted to continue on but stopped seeing the bloodlust in her eyes and the silent tears streaming down her eyes.

"That is the mistake that I'll have to live with my whole life _Hyuga…"_ she said his name with such venom that he winced. "… I don't know how I'll ever be able to show my face to Minato after how I abandoned our only son to the wolves of this village, alone to fend off. I don't even know if he will ever look at me with even an ounce of respect let alone love after what I put him through in his childhood and let his innocence be destroyed by the likes of you people. Actually, who am I to complain I was one of you fools for the first five years of my life until I realized my mistake. If it wasn't for Hiruzen…" she said giving the man a small smile who nodded his hat shadowing his face as he listened to her words intently. "… I know my boy wouldn't have lasted a night with all of you looking at him with your disgraceful eyes. He is the only one in the whole village who saw the innocent and alone boy for who he really was and took care of him like I should have, just because he made a promise to… no he would have done that even if no would have asked, when the child's own mother abandoned him." She said wiping off her cheeks of the silent guilt ridden tears that did nothing to ease the pain in her heart when Tsume spoke up.

"Kushina, you can't be serious. That thing must have played with you mind…" she was cut off as Hiruzen went through lightning fast hand seals, faster than they could blink and shouted.

" **Earth Style : Mud Wall!"** he shouted spitting out dirt which formed a thick wall in front of Tsume who was confused but everyone's eyes widened in horror at seeing an **Adamantine Chain** inches from her eye and she fell back on her butt from fright as the wall fell and she saw ANBU restraining and failing to stop the furious Uzumaki clan head who had drawn her legendary sword.

"LET ME GO! I'LL TEACH THAT BITCH TO CALL MY BABY BOY A THING!" she said in fury as they tried to stop her but were failing miserably as two ANBU lay on the ground unconscious and the other four not fairing too well when Hiruzen got behind her and chopped her neck swiftly catching her in his arms and handing her to Dragon, the ANBU commander who had a scathe on his shoulder from being impaled by one of her chains.

"Dragon, take her to the Uzumaki clan compounds and make sure she stays safe and under control of her temper for a while until I meet up with her." He said and the ANBU commander nodded and vanished with the unconscious Uzumaki clan head in his arms. Hiruzen turned to the frightened shinobi council and elders and the civilian council most of whom had fainted in fright and sighed plopping down on his chair tiredly.

"I'm getting too tired of this shit…" he muttered rubbing his temples as Inoichi spoke up getting his attention. Hiruzen motioned for him to go on seeing he might have something intelligent to add on.

"Hokage-sama what proof do you have that he is the heir of the Yondaime apart from the signed will of our late Hokage?" he asked neutrally and Hiruzen nodded, happy for the first intelligent argument as he pulled out a file and threw it at the man. The Yamanaka caught it and looked at him questionably.

"That is the file containing Naruto's birth certificates, his blood tests and DNA matching and recording done for any child of an important clan done by Tsunade Senju herself. These records can be cross verified at any time in the archives where I will unseal them to the general public." He said as Inoichi went through the files and saw how rock solid they were when Choza spoke up.

"But why would you hide such a fact from us?" he asked curiously and Hiruzen sighed sadly.

"Kushina had abandoned Naruto the moment I tried to let her have him in her arms saying he was a demon. Completely overcome by her grief and wallow she took it out all on Naruto. You all were calling for the death of the boy…" he said and Choza and the shinobi clan heads except a few looked down in shame remembering the night they too had called for his death.

"The village was weak at that moment, Naruto already had enough enemies from inside the village due to his burden as it is but if his true heritage was revealed then Iwa, Kumo and several other small villages would have stopped at nothing to get the last heir to the Namikaze clan and the only son of the Fourth Hokage either in their grasp or out of anyone else's by assassinating him. I couldn't protect him from everything while looking after the village at the same time at our moment of weakness. I did what I could to make the boy's life as good as I could to fulfil my promise to Minato, but even with me being the Hokage I was against the hate of the whole village and sometimes they got through my guard and I couldn't shield the boy from them." He said regretfully and Choza nodded sadly with the Nara and Aburame clan heads nodding at the logic while Danzo was thinking of getting the boy in his grasp to get his skills but more importantly the huge knowledge and fortune of the famed Namikaze clan, one of the four founding clans with the Senju, Uchiha and Uzumaki and the most knowledgeable of them all. The child held great influence and would be a great pawn when he became Hokage he thought inwardly.

Suddenly Mebuki Haruno spoke up making everyone wince as the banshee screeched.

"Hokage-sama I request that as the Namikaze clan heir, Naruto Namikaze be put under the Clan Restoration Act." She screeched and Hiruzen glared at her causing her to shiver and spoke up.

"There will be no such thing done to him…" he said and Danzo tried to interject but he held his hand up. "… the child is in enough turmoil as it is with all the truths being laid on him so suddenly and had a panic attack when all of them were laid out on him." He said causing the whole council to gasp as he continued.

"He might break if any more pressure is put onto him and might even go rogue if pushed too much." He said causing them all to shut up and accept his argument though Haruno started scheming ways to get her daughter to be with the boy and make her influence rise as a part of one of the four noble clans of Konoha. Hiruzen saw their plotting faces and thoughtful expressions and snorted in disgust inwardly at the two faced bastards and spoke up.

"I suggest you all inform your clans and families of the truth of this meeting and Naruto's heritage. His name from this day forth will be Naruto Namikaze, the heir to one of the most powerful clans of Konoha and the only son to our revered Fourth Hokage and will be treated as such. I'll make the official announcement to the village in one week from now at noon. And I seriously suggest not to aggravate his mother any further or say anything to Naruto to her knowledge, for I shall not be responsible for any deaths and Kushina will be well within her rights to do so as my law still stands to this day and will stand until I say so. Naruto will take the clan seat of the Namikaze clan either when he turns sixteen or becomes jounin, whichever comes first as is the law laid down by the Shodaime Hokage during the first charter of the founding of Konohagakure no sato. That is all and the council is dismissed." He said leaving the room ignoring the protests of further discussion by them all and left them all to mull over what they had done to the prince of their village and how to make it up to him.

* * *

 _ **Author's notes : There is the next chapter and the truths being revealed to many people along with Naruto getting his father's letters. So let's see how the burden of all the truths and the true faces of the village affect our favourite little blonde and his opinion for the village. I know it took a lot of time but I had hit a block on the story idea and just pushed it out and now have continued it. So if you like it and want to keep reading it further hit that review button. Well until next time keep reading and reviewing Ja Ne ;)**_


	15. Chapter 15

**Naruto : Abandoned Child**

* * *

 **Iwagakure no sato**

* * *

Ōnoki glanced over the parchment in his hands with disciplined ease, though his eyes got narrower and narrower with each line he read. Just as he reached the last line, however, his teeth ground against one another, and the document in his hands was crumpled up into a ball. The document itself said only one thing for each of the photos it's author had stapled behind said papers.

" **Failure: Subject is dead; misfire."**

Ōnoki could care less for the words embossed on his report. He had read those same words for fifteen years straight. It was the pictures that came stapled with these documents that made his mood turn sour every time. Pictures of mutilated bodies, resembling nothing more than green goo were nasty enough to make even his stoned eyes flinch. The jōnin who had been unfortunate enough to be tasked with being the bearer of bad news to his Kage weighed his options, and whimpered. Ōnoki looked up at the quivering Jōnin sharply, and tsked in disdain at the cowardly man who looked ready to piss himself right now.

"Get lost." Ōnoki grumbled.

His trembling subordinate was more than willing to oblige as he saluted, turned, and hightailed it out the room to get as far away as he could from the killing intent his leader had unknowingly been leaking unto him. Ōnoki rolled up the scroll in his hands, and leaned back in his chair with a resigned sigh.

"No luck again, huh?" Kitsuchi commented with a mirthless chuckle. He folded the a copy of the report on his lap and stretched his arms with a yawn, "It's about time you let up on your obsession with that man, tou-sama. It's been fifteen years already, and pointless deaths have been the only success you've had with this project. There's no way we'll ever succeed in recreating that horror of a jutsu, much less see it used in combat. Moreover, how do you intend to explain all those corpses if someone asks us where they came from?"

Ōnoki's chair creaked as he flexed it back and forth, "Whatever." he waved a hand in dismissal. "They were all criminals anyway. It's not like anyone will miss them." Ōnoki croaked in annoyance; a touch salty from the truth laced behind his son's words. Just as Kitsuchi's lips parted to refute Ōnoki's words, "Weren't you supposed to go and meet Kurotsuchi for lunch?" the old man remarked offhandedly.

Kitsuchi overlooked the subtle insinuation in his words and blinked, "Now that you mention it, I suppose I did." he got up and left his father to his own devices. Ōnoki's eyes misted over and his finger's lightly traced over the three holes on his desk. These holes were the reason why he could never let go of this project. No matter how many years pass, no matter how many lives it took, he would recreate that myth _for Iwa._ Then and only then could he let go of the humiliation and disgrace _that man_ had infested over his heart.

Ōnoki balled up his fist tightly to the point it trembled, "Curse you, Namikaze!"

* * *

 **Konohagakure no sato**

* * *

 **Hokage Tower**

* * *

The sun shone strong overhead this hot afternoon when Kushina Uzumaki arrived at the doors to the Hokage's office. She had dutifully checked herself in with his secretary; who, as per her appointment register, had already been expecting the redhead's arrival - though not quite as early. Kushina had to wait outside Hiruzen's office doors like an academy student did after getting detention. All the while, Kushina kept chewing on her lip in morbid anticipation so that she could wait for Hiruzen to give her permission from the other side to step in and meet _his highness_.

After what seemed like an eternity to Kushina, "Come in," Hiruzen's striking voice called from behind the door. Kushina mouthed a 'thank you' to the secretary who held the door open for her with a reassuring smile, and Kushina heaved a deep breath herself before finally stepping inside with a sigh. Just as the door behind her clicked to a close, "What business brings you here, Uzumaki-san?" Hiruzen asked with a tone of impatience.

"Hokage-sama," Kushina greeted him with a polite bow, "I've come here today with a personal request." if possible, she bowed even lower to show her humbleness on the matter. "Please, be kind enough to give me the address to my son's residence - I really want to see him. It's been a couple of weeks already since the last time we met, and-"

Whatever request she was about to make was cut off by Hiruzen's cold voice, "If memory serves me correctly, Uzumaki-san, and it does. All you have are two daughters - **not a son**."

Kushina chewed on her lip in anguish and fought back her tears, but made no attempt to retort on that snark comment. "Hiruzen," she began in a soft voice, surprising Sarutobi with her switch to such an informal and kind tone, "Naruto is my heir, by blood, and nothing you say will ever change the fact that I am, infact, his biological mother." she finished firmly.

Despite the anger and animosity Hiruzen felt towards Kushina for that statement regarding her relation to Naruto, he couldn't deny that the conviction shining in her eyes was genuine and sincere, "Kushina," Hiruzen sighed warily, "You know I can't give you what you want-"

"I will not be laid off so easily today, Hiruzen Sarutobi," Kushina interrupted him icily.

Even with her tone of defiance, Hiruzen's anger gave way to pity seeing the pure defeat and fatigue shining under the dark bags beneath her eyes. She was clearly not sleeping or eating correctly, and Hiruzen's heart may have iced over for this woman years ago, but he had to keep in mind that her carelessness would indirectly affect her two daughters in the coming future. One tormented child was more than adequate as is, but adding two more to that lump was completely unacceptable. But seeing her being so childishly stubborn on this matter, and knowing full well that nothing he could say would ever persuade _an Uzumaki_ to leave his office without getting what he/she so desired, Hiruzen's throat gave way to yet another resigned sigh.

He began in a gentle tone, "Not only is he your son, Kushina." she sniffled hearing him refer to Naruto as her child, "He is also a shinobi under my command. I cannot, in any way or form, give away personal information of my soldiers unless the situation is rather extreme; which it is not." he concluded mechanically.

Sniffing, "Tell me what I must do then," Kushina pleaded weakly.

"As I've already told you," he sighed, "This is a hurdle I simply cannot help you with." Hiruzen held his hand up when Kushina's lips parted to refute his statement, "That will be all. You may leave now, Uzumaki-san." Sarutobi pressed the buzzer on his desk, and Kushina distantly heard the static voice in the speaker announce the name of the next person due to come in with an appointment. Kushina stood rooted to her spot, not looking in the mood to move from there anytime soon.

"Tori," Hiruzen ordered one of his ANBU. "Be a kind lad and escort Uzumaki-san to her mansion, our business here concluded."

The ANBU nodded, bowed, and caught a hold of the stoned woman's arm, giving a gentle tug to her sleeve. But Kushina didn't budge. "I won't go…" she whispered, eyes looking lost.

"Kushina," Hiruzen sighed warily.

"I won't," she stomped her feet stubbornly. "I've waited patiently _for two whole weeks_ to get an appointment with you, and this is what I get?!" Kushina wailed tearfully, instantly digging her chains right through the floor of his office, "Call in the entire ANBU core for all I care! **I. Won't. Leave.** " every last word was accentuated by her digging yet another chain in his floor.

Before the ANBU could react and start pulling her out by force, Kushina gave the masked ninjas a warning look - daring him to touch her. She flooded the entire room with her chakra, and unleashed a wave of killing intent, forcing the ANBU to flinch away and making Hiruzen sigh. This was becoming a habit of hers, apparently.

"It's alright everyone," Hiruzen stopped the four ANBU rushing inside the door to restrain the mentally stressed mother and take her into custody, "Leave her be. Return to your posts." all of them looked hesitant to lay low, but a sharp look from Hiruzen made them flinch and obey.

"Hai!" the ANBU saluted and concealed themselves back into the walls.

"Kushina," he had to walk around his table to keep a comforting hand on her shoulder and stop her chanting a mantra of 'I won't go' _._ "I cannot help you with this, directly, but I can show you a way to learn Naruto's address. That is, on the condition if you promise me a few things in advance."

Kushina's ears visibly perked up, "Anything!"

"First," Hiruzen tapped a finger on her nose reprimandingly, "Stop coming to my office time and again to act childishly, and stop making a fool out of yourself." Kushina nodded meekly, looking very much like the girl caught stealing a treat from her kitchen's hidden cookie jar.

"Second : You will stop beating up people in my village, and setting fire to their homes. I have enough paperwork as it is, don't make my life any harder than it already is; since, I can only overlook so much - even for a clan leader before I am forced to take drastic measures."

Kushina had the decency to blush at being caught red handed, "But they were the ones who were berating Naruto so openly-"

"Even so," Hiruzen cut her off sharply, "That is not the way to handle them."

She shrunk a little from his tone, "Alright," and caved in.

"Third," Hiruzen tapped her nose again to garner her attention. "You will go and see-"

"That's a lot of promises…"Kushina grumbled under her breath.

"-Inoichi every week for counseling sessions, and you will not engage the man in any which way." Hiruzen ignored her protests entirely, and continued on his tirade of promises to list.

"Sooo, what's Naru-chan's address…?"

"Lastly," he ignored the dirty look Kushina shot him for taking advantage of her plight, and pull out so many promises from her. "If Naruto does not wish to meet you - leave him be."

Kushina dug her toe in the ground and drew circles with it, "Kushina, do I have your word?" Hiruzen demanded testily. The redhead said nothing, and continued on her childish antics with an added fervor. The Hokage sighed, "Kushina, don't make me put you on ANBU surveillance. That last promise you will have to make if you even want to leave this office today."

There was a moment of silence, "…I won't hurt him, -ttebane!" she whispered quietly.

Lord, she sounded devastated.

Sighing, "You may not even realize if you were hurting him, and that's why I'm saying this; if Naruto tells you to leave - you leave. Turn around, and walk away. Give him some time. Don't push him too much, or we all may lose him for good this time." Hiruzen told her, his own throat tightening from those last words.

"Alright," Kushina promised, "I'll leave if he doesn't want to meet me. Now tell me his address."

Hiruzen smirked, "I already told you, Kushina. I can't."

Kushina looked at Hiruzen as if he had grown a second head, "You do realize that we are back at square one if you go back on your words, Hiruzen Sarutobi." she muttered dryly.

"However," Hiruzen added slickly, "I cannot stop you from scouring his address if need be."

The redhead blinked, "You'll overlook _that_!" she asked as her tears lessened, baffled. That was the primary reason she hadn't tried her own hand at finding Naruto's residence in the first place. Kushina knew that Hiruzen had kept a stern eye on her, damn if she knew how, but the redhead had felt eyes on her ever since she had first stepped foot in his village; and she knew Hiruzen would most likely retaliate with lethal force should she be caught doing anything in relation to Naruto: harmful or otherwise.

"I will this time," Hiruzen conceded tiredly.

Kushina smiled weakly and wiped her cheeks, "Thank you." she thanked him. Hiruzen placed a hand on the small of her back, and guided her outside his office. Just as Kushina was about to leave the premises to go and scour out Naruto's whereabouts, however, "Kushina," Hiruzen called monotonously. Kushina twisted around, her long hair bouncing with her abrupt motion, "If anything ill should happen to befall Naruto - **I will kill you.** "

His promise was followed with a vision being forced in her mind, a vision comprised of a series of events, all of which lead to her painful demise flashed through Kushina's eyes, and only when Hiruzen let off of focusing his killing intent on her did she breathe easy. But his words and threats only made her chuckle humorlessly.

Seeing Hiruzen's unimpressed gaze still trained on her, "You won't have to, Hiruzen, I'll kill myself before that happens; I promise you that on my honor as an Uzumaki." she wiped a stray tear from the corner of her eye and smiled candidly.

Both of them stood still for a moment, and Hiruzen wondered if Kushina's last tear was one of sorrow or from her laughs, before shaking his head and twisting. He bid her a mute farewell, and trudged his way back inside his office. Hiruzen's heart constricted in fear as to what disaster this meeting might lead to, but he had already intervened a lot in Naruto's life; maybe a bit too much, just so he could keep Kushina's grim shadow off of Naruto's back.

However, Naruto was no mere child now; moreover, the boy certainly didn't need to be coddled by him anymore. He was a genin: a trained shinobi. If the boy had a license to kill, then he sure as hell could make his own decisions in life.

It was funny how quickly kids grew up these days, Hiruzen mused fondly.

* * *

 **Naruto's Apartment**

* * *

Hot water cascaded down her flesh, rinsing away all the dirt and fatigue accumulated over her training routine from the day. Her hands roamed about her back, slowly making their way up only to get tangled in her black locks. Lips twisting southwards, Satsuki's eyebrows knitted together in abject annoyance as she pulled and hacked her hand off her hair.

Wrapping a towel around her body, she walked out of the shower with a permanent scowl on her lips. Dripping all the way out to the kitchen, Satsuki ignored the oblivious blonde roomie of hers and went straight for the drawers. Rummaging for a minute or so before slamming it close with a snarl, Satsuki slapped a hand on her hip and cocked it aside.

"Where do we keep the scissors?" she asked impatiently.

Naruto looked up from his notebook and blinked seeing the girl's near naked state, "Shouldn't you be looking for some clothes instead? You'll catch a cold like that, Satsu-chan." he pointed his pencil to her clothes, or lack thereof.

Satsuki forced herself to ignore the concern his voice held for her lest she blushed, and tapped her foot impatiently, "Scissors." she demanded testily with an outstretched palm.

Sighing, Naruto got up from his chair before the girl threw a tantrum, "Whatever. At least go get clothed now, I'll get you the scissors as soon as you return, your highness." Naruto shrugged with a roll to his eyes. Satsuki frowned and tried to retort but a sneeze was what came out of her mouth, and begrudgingly admitted Naruto's point had some merit to it.

Putting on a camisole and skirt for the moment, Satsuki bound her hair in a towel turban to dry them off and walked out to see Naruto nestled back in his seat, buried nose deep in his sealing journal. Her eye ticked, "What are you always working on anyways?" she seated herself on the opposite stool and threw a leg over the other, cheek resting in her palm.

Naruto didn't even bother looking up from his journal, "It's a seal that will let me send a short message to whoever I give a copy of my seal!" Satsuki's eyebrow shot up in surprise.

"That's pretty cool." she whispered in slight awe. "How short of a message are we looking here?"

Naruto grinned proudly, "Eight characters in kanji is the most I can manage with it for now."

Satsuki curiously leaned forward, "What if you send more than that?" she asked. That was pretty damn cool if she did say so herself, a seal like that would almost negate the need for courier ninjas and carrier birds; consequently, making it a gold mine worth of tech in the palm of his hand, she mused idly.

"Doesn't matter how much more you send: The first eight characters will be sent, while the rest would be lost into the void. The split in space-time continuum is really small, and we'll have to make the tear open a lot larger for anything more than…" she ignored him for a while hoping he'd stop yapping smart-ass stuff, before realizing he wasn't stopping anytime soon.

Satsuki flicked him on the nose to snap him out of his stupor, "Human language, loser. Quit blabbering all this sealing gibberish that I can't possibly understand." she snipped, miffed at feeling so dang stupid from his words. Naruto had the decency to look sheepish and stopped waving his hands excitedly to explain her some more of his seals.

Naruto threw his hand behind his neck and laughed awkwardly, "It means, that's the most I can manage with the level of sophistication I have in sealing right now. I'd have to overhaul the sealing matrix from the ground up to send any more information than that."

Satsuki undid the towel on her head and freed her hair down her back, "Did you get me the scissors?" she asked.

"Yeah." Naruto passed her the scissors. "What do you need it for anyways?"

Satsuki picked up the scissors and grabbed a fistful of her hair, "To cut my hair." she quipped.

Naruto was off his stool like lightning and caught her wrist before she could start trimming down her hair. "Don't cut your hair." he whispered quietly, looking scandalized from the prospect.

"Why the hell not?!" Satsuki snapped. "It's long, messy, and takes way too long to comb down; it's my hair, you don't get any say in this matter."

Naruto loosened his grip on her hair, and stepped back with a forlorn smile. "I guess you're right." if possible, Satsuki's scowl deepened even more menacingly than it already was. The blonde looked struck, as if he was a puppy that she had just kicked, and his fallen whiskers weren't helping her case any.

"Fine." she grumbled and passed him the scissors. "You trim it then." she suggested.

She absolutely had to cut them down. It was fine to keep them long when she was younger and in the academy. They were at a manageable enough length that Satsuki could tie them up without hacking away on her bird's nest of a hairdo with a comb _every damn morning_.

Naruto perked up and nodded, scooting down his stool behind her back. "Don't move." he commanded, and started cutting away a small portion from the tips of her hair - it was almost negligible if someone other than him were to comment on it. Her cutting session wasn't even five minutes in before Naruto gave a pat to her back and nodded to himself, looking proud.

"That should do it!"

Satsuki took a wisp of hair in her fingers and traced it's length with a frown, "Too long!"

Naruto looked scandalized, "It's absolutely fine now!" he argued fiercely.

The raven looked ready to breathe fire, "Give me those damn scissors!" she snatched it off his palms. Just as she was about to cut it down to nearly shoulder length in one fell swoop, her eyes landed on a doe-eyed blonde looking at her pleadingly. Her hand deliberated a few minutes whether to just go for it, or give in to his tempting eyes.

Finally, "Stop that!" she glowered.

Naruto stuck his lip out and shimmied his eyes a little, "Stop what, Satsu-chan!~" he fluttered his eyes innocently. Satsuki sighed and slammed her head on the counter.

"It's got to go, Naruto. I'm not one of those girly girls who is patient enough to take care of this bird's nest every time I shower. Kunoichi aren't supposed to look cute." she reasoned softly.

There was a moment of silence. "I'll do it," Naruto whispered.

Satsuki picked up her head with a raised eyebrow, "What?!" she asked incredulously.

She honestly thought he was about to let her cut it down now, "I'll comb it for you!" the blonde boasted loudly.

Satsuki giggled in her hand, "Everyday?!~" she asked in a singsong voice.

"Yup!" Naruto bobbed his head up and down, "I promise I'll do it, -ttebayo!"

The raven knew better than to argue with Naruto when he made a promise. The boy was more stubborn than a bull when it came to promises. Still, "The moment you skimp out on your promise - I'm getting a bob cut; are we clear?!" she demanded halfheartedly.

Naruto didn't answer her with words, but was content enough in fetching himself a comb and proceeding to start work on his promise. He kept humming a soft tune as the comb worked out the kinks in the raven's hair. Contrary to what she believed, Satsuki's hair weren't as jagged and rough as she made them out be. They were pretty soft and smooth, but it was just that this stubborn girl of his was way too cool to do the 'girly stuff' and take some measures to dry them off every morning when 'she could be out training during that time and becoming stronger'.

Naruto pressed his lips on the back of her head and gave her back a pat, "All done."

Satsuki ignored the steam her ears produced from his heartfelt gesture, and felt the groomed hair slip out from her fingers like smooth velvet. "Pretty impressive, huh?" Naruto goaded her to praise his skills.

Not like she having any of it, "Hn." Satsuki grunted.

The raven gave a squeal of glee when Naruto wrapped his arms around her stomach and flapped her around like a doll, while she kept kicking thin air with her feet. "Unhand me, you idiot!" she growled, but her words were betrayed by the laugh that broke free of her lips during that playful moment.

Grinning, "Oh, now you can speak words!" Naruto twisted her around with added fervor.

There was a knock to the door that made the duo halt their playful tendencies, and sober up a bit. Satsuki loosened his hands from her stomach, fuming on the inside at whoever it was that had broken up their moment and had come to get an earful of her mind. "I'll get the door." she grumbled.

Cracking open the door with a snap, Satsuki's eyes were met with a flash of red, which, upon recognition, forced the girl to hold the door at an arm's length lest she let Naruto see who it actually was. "What are you doing here?!" the girl all but hissed.

"Uh, hello." Kushina greeted politely. Satsuki's eyes narrowed in on the two people flanking either of her sides. The first one was the same old man from a couple weeks prior, Jiraiya if she remembered correctly. The second one, however, made her eyes turn tighten into thin slits.

"Kakashi," the Uchiha heiress spat ominously. He already wasn't in her good books from the time he had ratted Naruto's weakened state to Sakura, but now he was right up there with Itachi if you know what she meant. The Jōnin, though, looked content to keep his nose buried in his book rather than meet eyes with a riled up, Sharingan wielding, wrath reincarnate of a subordinate glaring daggers at him.

Flicking a page in his book as if he wasn't bothered by the minuscule amount of killing intent she was releasing, "I happen to run by them when I was coming here, coincidences to happen, Satsuki." he quipped.

Not even bothering to hide her disdain from her guests, "And you found it wise to bring them here?!"

"...Don't pretend as if we can't hear you," Jiraiya tried to chip in, but was sadly ignored.

Kakashi snapped his book shut and looked her in the eye, "I haven't brought anyone here, Satsuki." he quickly cut her off as soon as the fiery girl's lips parted for a rebuke, "They were already on their way here when I met them, and I merely tagged along since our paths happened to coincide with one another." she kept her snark remark in her throat with regards to her teacher, and looked at the duo who had been silent as a grave till now.

"What do you want?" Satsuki clipped, foregoing any need for formalities or greetings.

Kushina looked like a deer caught in headlights, "Uh, right, is Naruto in?"

Satsuki's throat constricted, "NO!" she all but roared. That was a disaster she was absolutely not letting occur. It had been a tough two weeks getting Naruto break free off his trauma to get back on his feet, and now, when he had finally agreed to get back to training and missions - she was here.

The raven heaved a deep sigh, "He's not home." she lied calmly.

"Oh." Kushina ducked her head in disappointment. Then an idea lit her mind, "Where is he?" she asked excitedly, happy beyond belief that her son was finally roaming out and about.

Satsuki fidgeted, deliberating how to go about this. "Out." she replied.

Kushina blinked, "…Out?" she asked, Satsuki nodded. "Can't you be a bit more specific?"

Satsuki's fingers tightened on the ledge of the door, "How should I know?" she snapped. "What do I look like, his mother?!"

Kushina looked as if someone had struck her with acid, and seeing the redhead's miserable state Jiraiya decided to come to her rescue. "Why are you at his apartment then?"

Satsuki turned her eyes to said sannin and narrowed her eyes at him, "My face is up here," she pointed to her chin, and then to her chest. "Not down there." she didn't bother covering up her camisole with an arm, after all she didn't have anything to hide; she was at her home, and by proxy had every right to wear whatever she pleased.

Jiraiya didn't seem too bothered by her reaction, "Huh, say what?" Satsuki's eye ticked.

Kushina, upon realizing what the girl was insinuating, looked sideways to see Jiraiya openly ogling at the girl's visible cleavage. "Jiraiya," she growled at the pervert's antics. "Remove your eyes off her chest before I remove them for you - **permanently**." her threat, coupled with the killing intent she lashed the man with seemed to have done the trick, and the perv-Jiraiya looked the other way with an awkward cough.

Ignoring the thought of filing a complaint for paedophilia that had just occurred here, "As to why I'm here, this is my apartment. I live here." Satsuki informed the bickering duo.

Kushina's eyes widened in disbelief. She had known that Mikoto's daughter was a bit close to her son thanks to Hiruzen's steadfast letters to her, but she hadn't been made aware that they were close enough to the point that they shared an apartment together. She turned her gaze to Kakashi, amethyst eyes pleading his lone one to tell her that the girl was lying. But his simple nod made her stomach dip as if someone had stuck a lead pillar in it.

Gulping thickly, "T-That's nice." Kushina stammered uncomfortably. "How long have you been living here? If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Satsuki's patience were running thin by this point, "I do mind." Kushina sighed upon realizing that she was getting no where until this girl was standing like a wall in between herself and Naruto. It was a hard pill to swallow that this fiery girl with a tongue of steel shared the same genetics as the kind and gentle friend Kushina had once known. Plus, it didn't help her matters any that she seemed to be at odds with nearly everyone whose first name wasn't Naruto; even Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage himself hadn't been omitted from her lashing a few days prior. But she seemed almost foreign to the concept of guests.

And that worried Kushina beyond all measures. "Don't you have any guests around here?" Kushina couldn't help but ask. It was such a nice house, and seeing how sweet Naruto had been when he wasn't aware of who she was, he must have a handful of friends.

…Right?!

The way Satsuki's scowl deepened, however, Kushina feared for the worst, "Neither Naruto nor I are particularly well liked in this village, Uzumaki." she said, once again dropping the honorifics to show her dislike towards the woman. But before Kushina could ask what she meant by that statement, her voice died down seeing Satsuki's abrupt change in demeanor.

Satsuki stiffened when she heard soft steps making their way nearer right behind her back, "Listen," she called for everyone's attention. "I don't mean to be rude or anything," Kushina smiled thinking there was at least some hope for redemption here, but her happiness was short lived. "…but I'm tired to talking to you." Satsuki said, and slammed the door in their faces. Hearing the locks click in place, Kushina turned to Kakashi with all her righteous fury, hair rising and flailing behind her like nine tails of rage.

Clenching and unclenching her fists to calm down her nerves, "Did you see the nerve of that bitch?!" she snarled. Her best friend's daughter or not, that little floozie had all but slammed the door on her face without so much as inviting her in. No one, and Kushina did mean no one, had ever had the nerve to do such a thing to her before - in her own son's house no less!

Kakashi's eye crinkled up in a manner that Kushina could only translate for a smile, "If it makes you feel any better, Kushina-sama, she does that to me quite frequently." he lied. Satsuki had only done it to him once, and from then on Kakashi had been mindful enough of his student's privacy to take to the windows instead. Satsuki's bickering aside, Naruto was perfectly fine with his sensei using the windows so long as he didn't pop up in their bed or bathrooms someday. He was such a great role model, right?

Shoulders sagging in defeat, Kushina ran a hand through her hair. "Let's just go." she murmured quietly. Kakashi, being the gentleman that he was, waved his hand and made a dramatic bow to make her walk in front of him. As much as Kushina wanted to get this horrendous conversation out of her memory, "For a kunoichi with as fine a background as she has, the least she could do is wear something decent in the house." she said with her nose scrunched up in justified irritation.

Kakashi, having had his fill of drama for the day, took out his book to continue on exploring the plot some more. "In her defense, Satsuki is entitled to wear anything she wishes at her house." he added. Before Kushina could halfheartedly retort that it was in no way a decent way to walk around with a thirteen year old boy living in the same house, unrelated, all alone, her thoughts were cut off by a third voice.

"Yeah, she ain't hurting nobody." Jiraiya piped in with a perverse giggle.

Kushina stopped dead in her tracks and flooded the entire street with killing intent, "I'd almost forgotten about the earlier incident, Jiraiya." she muttered in a sickly sweet voice.

"Thanks for reminding me." she added with a crack to her knuckles.

The Toad Sage took off in vain when Kushina's chains latched onto his ankles and dragged him back with her to an uninhabited alley. Kakashi, hearing the screams coming from the darkness, wondered if maybe he should step in and help the poor man from such torture. After all, old bones took longer to heal, didn't they?

But when Kakashi saw just how crucial of a plot point was coming up in his 'novel', he softly giggled to himself and walked up the wall beside Naruto and Satsuki's apartment to enter through the window; since, he still had to inform them of the special training exercise he'd planned for tomorrow to gauge if his squad was ready to take the chunin exams this year or not.

* * *

 **Meanwhile**

* * *

"Who was it Satsuki?" Naruto asked as he came up from behind her.

"The newspaper guy." she lied through her teeth.

Naruto shot her a blank look, "We don't get any newspapers in our house." he reminded her.

Satsuki sweated inwardly and unconsciously covered the door with her body, "Precisely!" she said, and laughed awkwardly while blindly checking behind her to make sure if the door locks were in place or not.

The blonde saw right through her, "You're lying." he stated and tried to go for the door.

Satsuki, flapping her mind like an endangered duck, threw her arms around his neck and sloppily pressed her lips to the blonde's. She felt him go rigid before melting in her arms, and smirked on seeing how much effect an act of affection from her side had on Naruto.

It was endearing really.

Satsuki was the first one to break their short lip lock, and giggled when Naruto followed her lips with a whine at how short it was. She tenderly nipped his nose with her own, "Bastard."

Naruto held out his arm to Satsuki as a heartfelt gesture, and she wordlessly stepped into his embrace without hesitation. Naruto buried his face in her hair, and breathed in the soft scent of vanilla pouring from her hair. "Bitch." he softly murmured and nestled in his nose in her neck.

They relished the warmth in each others arms, swaying from side to side for a while after that.

* * *

 **A/N : As of today, Abandoned Child is officially off of hiatus. For those of you who haven't noticed, I've taken my time to redo the first five chapters of this story; since, this was one of my earlier stories, and as such, the quality was just not up to par to the rest of it. Chapters six through ten will be redone as well, can't say by when, but they will be. So, please bear with the drop in quality that those particular ones have for the time being.**

 **It was a long time since I've worked on this story, so I hope this chapter was up to par. I understand though, if some of you might not adore some of the characters in my story. But they are just how I wished to write them. Writing Satsuki in particular is, difficult to say the least. But I've tried my best to stick her to the roots while still spicing some of her aspects as subtly as I possibly could. For those of you who are wondering how to see if the chapters are being redone, all of the previous one with the A/N removed have been redone, so that will give you a slight indication that I am working on it in the shadows.**

 **I didn't do a whole remake of the story since that wasn't my intention. I love the latter part of this story, and didn't do it for the reviews so never even posted it in any other A/N either. It was just to lure in those who might pass up my story at first glance. For those of you who've waited this patiently for my update, a humble thank you from my side and please continue on showing this love and devotion to me ;D**

 **Until next time, keep reading and reviewing. Ja Ne ;D**

* * *

 **PS : I've shortened my name to NXSE, don't go on confusing me for someone else. A reader (whose name I forget) pointed out in a PM that it was too long to type, and, well…**

 **You know the rest. Hehe!**


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